Whether your favorite nut butter is made out of peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, or any combination thereof, it’s time for you to take a break. Sure, all these spreads are delicious and fairly nutritious (or not, depending on sugar content), but there are plenty of spreads out there that are just as satisfying with less of a caloric punch. Read on to find out what you can use as a perfect addition to your toast, sandwich, or anything else without stretching your waistline.
Instead of Nutella – Hope Hummus Organic Dark Chocolate Hummus
Photo by Hailey Maher
Hummus and dark chocolate sound like an unlikely combination, but give it a chance: we were pleasantly surprised with the richness and taste of this chickpea-based spread. With 1/3 of the calories and sugar content of Nutella, it’s perfect to satisfy your need for a chocolately spread on toast, fruit, pretzels, or by the spoonful.
#SpoonTip: If you want more chickpea-and-chocolate goodness, check out Slender Seven’s cookie dough, which uses either garbanzo or black beans as its base. Bonus: it’s perfectly edible raw.
Instead of peanut butter – Dehydrated Peanut Butter
Photo by Hailey Maher
PB is the ultimate comfort food, but it can leave you feeling a little less than stellar (read: in a food coma) if you have a few spoonfuls too many. Brands like Tru-nut and PB2 remove the oil from the butter, leaving you with a peanutty powder that you can mix with water to make spreadable PB or mix into oatmeal, smoothies, or anything else. With less than half the calories of regular peanut butter, it’s perfect for a satisfying snack that won’t leave you feeling deprived.
Instead of cashew butter – Coconut Butter
Photo courtesy of mycoconutkitchen.com
While coconut butter is by no means low-cal (117 calories per tablespoon), a little bit goes a long way. Cashew butter is a more subdued flavor, which causes you to crave more to reach satiety – but a thin layer of coconut butter packs enough flavor to fend off residual cravings.
Instead of regular almond butter – DIY Low-Calorie Almond Butter
Photo courtesy of foodiefiasco.com
DIY is always better than store-bought, and this homemade almond butter proves it (slash half the calories from typical almond butter by making your own). Just combine half a cup of almond meal with a fourth of a cup of almond milk.
For a complete swap, use Hummus
Photo by Sterling Martin
If you’re willing to forgo nuts, hummus is a savory, satisfying spread that can be subbed for nut butters in pretty much every situation. In fact, hummus can (and should) be used as more than a topping on pita way more often. Check out these other uses for hummus and enjoy.
We’ll be the first to admit that nothing can completely replace the perfection of a classic PB&J, but these swaps are ideal to shake up your routine and introduce more calorie-conscious spreads into your diet. Enjoy, but don’t be afraid to throw in a full-fat nut butter every now and then, because YOLO.