Is Peanut Butter Dairy-Free – How to Tell Different Brands

One of those spreads that ends up in everyone’s pantry and that we kind of grow to love is peanut butter. Is peanut butter, however, dairy-free?

Natural dairy-freeness exists in peanut butter. Two ingredients—dry-roasted peanuts and salt—make up one batch of peanut butter.

We’re going to learn exactly what peanut butter is made of today and how to determine whether it contains dairy or not.

What is Peanut Butter?

A spread known as peanut butter is created from ground peanuts. This spread can be used in cookies, salad dressings, savory sauces like peanut sauce, toast, crackers, and sandwiches.

Peanut butter is a major consumer of this ingredient, though it is not only found in the US.

Because it is sweet, creamy (or crunchy), loaded with fat and protein, and tastes great, peanut butter is very popular. Though it is not truly “butter” as you’d think of as a product made from cream and milk, peanut butter gets its name from its smooth consistency.

It is comparable to other nut butters, including sesame seed, cashew, and almond.

What is Peanut Butter Made From?

The simplest form of peanut butter is created using ground peanuts. There are numerous brands of peanut butter available that only contain peanuts. The flavor, texture, and addition of preservatives can all be altered to create a variety of peanut butter products.

Many manufacturers also include salt, sugar, or other sweeteners. Others might enhance the preservatives in their peanut butters by adding things like corn syrup and soy protein.

While peanut butter can be stored at room temperature for a short period of time, many producers add preservatives to make their products shelf stable for more than a year. Because of this, some peanut butter is excellent for emergency supplies because you can stock up and be ready for a long time without having to restock.

I believe the simplest peanut butters—which are typically made with just peanuts—are the best. If you also follow a gluten-free diet, these are the most natural options and have the least amount of hidden gluten potential.

The self-grinding machines at my neighborhood grocery store are where I prefer to purchase peanut butter, but the organic peanut butter from Costco is a close second.

Read More: Is Heavy Cream Gluten Free

What is Dairy?

ANY food that is made from milk is referred to as “dairy” in general. Technically, this refers to any food made with cow, goat, or sheep milk. Dairy refers to any animal milk.

However, since drinking cow’s milk is the most common dairy product in the US, that is what is typically discussed when we discuss dairy products.

Is Peanut Butter Dairy?

Because the name “peanut butter” has the word “butter” in it, you may assume that peanut butter contains dairy. Nevertheless, the majority of peanut butters you’ll find at the grocery store almost never contain dairy.

Nevertheless, flavored peanut butter—such as those with chocolate swirls or chocolate added to them—might contain dairy if you purchase it. It’s never a bad idea to check the ingredient lists of packaged and processed foods before purchasing to make sure there are no unexpected dairy ingredients.

Can You Eat Peanut Butter If You’re Dairy-free?

The majority of peanut butter can be consumed without any issues if you maintain a dairy-free diet. You can feel comfortable including peanut butter in your diet on a regular basis because it is typically dairy-free and doesn’t contain any dairy at all.

If you consume flavored peanut butter, such as chocolate-flavored varieties, you should be mindful of any additional ingredients that might contain milk or other dairy products. Before selecting any brand of peanut butter from the store shelf, double-check the ingredients.

Are All Peanut Butters Dairy-free?

We cannot claim that all peanut butter is dairy-free, but the vast majority is. Of course, this is true of most things.

The majority of peanut butter uses only peanuts as its sole ingredient and no additional ingredients will never contain dairy. Every time you buy a peanut butter product, check the ingredients list to make sure there aren’t any hidden ingredients that could contain dairy.

You almost certainly won’t need to stop and think about this ingredient if you’re on a dairy-free diet and want to enjoy most peanut butter.

Is Peanut Butter Vegan?

Like many other foods, most peanut butter is vegan, but this is not always the case.

Many brands and varieties of peanut butter share production facilities with other foods that use animal products or contain animal products themselves. This would be another ingredient to keep an eye out for since some brands use honey-based flavorings and sweeteners in their peanut butter.

Before making a purchase, review the ingredients lists if you follow a vegan diet to look for anything that stands out to you.

Does Peanut Butter Have Actual Butter?

Let’s explain the meaning of the word “butter” in relation to peanut butter in order to make things clear.

In actuality, a lot of spreads are referred to as butter because of their high fat content.

This is also true for butters like cocoa butter or shea butter that aren’t really designed to be spread on toast or scones. Both appear and act almost exactly like butter, despite not actually having any.

are made entirely of fats and solidify at low temperatures before becoming soft and melty at body temperature.

Is Peanut Butter Gluten-free?

Most often, peanut butter is free of gluten. The brand and flavor matter, just like with everything else in this post.

The least number of ingredients possible (such as just peanuts or just peanuts and oil) is the best choice if you’re trying to follow a gluten-free diet. The possibility of cross contamination and the inclusion of gluten somewhere along the production line increases as more ingredients are added to the peanut butter.

There are many peanut butter brands that are gluten-free, but if you have Celiac disease or are extremely sensitive to gluten, always do your research by reading the ingredients list and the gluten-free label.

I hope this post has helped you find the answers you’ve been searching for if you’ve been wondering if peanut butter contains dairy and if it’s safe for your dairy-free diet.

You can buy your preferred brand of peanut butter at the store without worrying about dairy (but be sure to check the ingredients first!) and get back to making your favorite sandwiches and peanut butter cookies.

Conclusion

Therefore, peanut butter ought to be free of dairy and safe to consume if you have lactose intolerance, but as I said, it is always better to check the label to be safe than sorry. Any product’s expiration date and any additional ingredients you might not want to be there should be checked on the label, which is a good habit to get into.

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