Is peanut butter vegan? Out of all the frequently asked questions, this one deserves a full dedicated article. Keep reading the article to find out the relationship between peanut butter and veganism.
Have you ever wondered why people love peanut butter? Is it the taste that keeps you going? Is it because it is relatively cheaper than other snacks? Or is it because of its high nutritional profile?
Well, the answer isn’t binary. Peanuts are very healthy. They are rich in monounsaturated fats(great for your heart), protein, and several other vitamins and minerals. Children, students, athletes– everyone loves it.
When it comes to peanut butter, the nutritional profile doesn’t change much. The main ingredients are peanuts, oil, and salt. That’s it.
However, there are other ingredients that some brands use to amp up the taste. Some of these popular ingredients are sugar, agave syrup, molasses, etc.
So, is peanut butter vegan? Well, as you see, most of these ingredients are vegan. Salt, oils, sugars, etc. are usually plant-based. But, is this all?
No, there are other things you need to take care of. For example– honey is an ingredient that some peanut butter brands use in their products. Though honey is healthy, it is not at all vegan. And it’s not just honey. It can be anything, even if it is not directly derived from animals(we’ll find that out).
So, what are we waiting for? Let’s directly jump into it.
What ingredients in peanut butter are not vegan?
While answering the question “Is peanut butter vegan?”, you should know that certain food items are not considered vegan. Here are some of the ingredients.
Honey:
This is a wide and clearly known fact that honey isn’t vegan at all. Honey is very sweet and is obtained from beehives. As a result, it is considered as an animal product. But, some brands, that are not vegan, add honey as a sweetening agent. Though it is better than refined sugar, it can’t be considered an ingredient in vegan peanut butter.
Added Omega-3 Fatty Acids(sometimes):
Omega-3 fatty acids are very healthy and vital for several body functions. But, is it vegan? Well, yes omega-3s can be vegan but when they are used as a fortifier, chances are high that they aren’t vegan. Why? The reason is that fish oils are rich in omega-3s. And some peanut butter companies might use fish oil as an ingredient to enrich its nutritional profile.
People who aren’t vegan at all can have peanut butter that is supplemented with fish oils. But, if you are a vegan and looking for healthy vegan peanut butter, then this isn’t apt for you.
Refined sugar(how?):
To your surprise, peanut butter with added refined sugar isn’t vegan always. And the reason is because of its processing. The refined sugars can be processed using bone char. Bone chars are obtained from the bones of animals– cattle, and pigs mostly. And as a result, you should know about the processing of the sugar used in peanut butter.
However, you should know that sugar is completely vegan. There isn’t anything about sugar that you shouldn’t be concerned about unless it’s processed using bone chat.
Cross-contamination:
This is another problem that might make your peanut butter “not so vegan”. The primary reason is that the facilities for both vegan and non-vegan products might be the same. For example, not changing the gloves while preparing vegan products.
However, according to PETA, your vegan credentials will not be affected if you eat a product that has been contaminated with other non-vegan ingredients.
- Palm Oil(maybe) :
Typical palm oil is vegan– this is an evidence-based fact. But, you should know that some vegans consider this to be not very animal-friendly. Why? It’s because vast amounts of forests are cleared for palm oil plantation. So, this makes it bad for both the animals and the environment.
Is peanut butter vegan? Now, you know the answer– most of the time it’s a big “yes” and sometimes it might be a “no”.
How to make sure that you are buying vegan peanut butter?
There are several “rules of thumb” to find out whether peanut butter is vegan or not. Here are some suggestions–
- Look for the ingredient list:
This is the most basic and effective way to find out if a peanut butter product is vegan. If you see ingredients like honey, gelatin, fish oils, etc. they are clearly animal products and are not at all vegan.
- Check the label:
Some brands use the label– certified vegan. This makes sure that the product is completely free from all animal-derived ingredients. In addition to that, this also means that the product is neither tested in any animals nor the sugar used is processed using bone char. In that case, it’s a win-win.
- Contact the manufacturer:
Even if some products are labeled as certified vegans, the manufacturer of the brand had to submit all the documents that the facility and the machinery are thoroughly cleaned before preparing the vegan peanut butter.
And if you are unsure about this, you always have the liberty to contact the manufacturer and ask them out.
The Bottom Line:
Peanut butter is a very healthy part of our diets. No matter what your food preferences are, you can thoroughly enjoy peanut butter. Most peanut nutters are free from animal products, but some of them might not. You have to make sure that the vegan peanut butter you are trying doesn’t have any animal-derived ingredients like honey, gelatin, or fish oil.
In short to answer this question, “Is peanut butter vegan?”, yes it is. It is prepared using peanuts, oil, and salt– all of them are vegan. In case, you want to know about some other vegan snacks– check out our article on some of the best high-protein vegan snacks.
FAQs:
- Is peanut butter vegan?
Peanut butter is a vegan option most of the time. It is generally made up of peanuts, oil, and salt. Sometimes, some brands add Agave syrup, sugar, and molasses to it. These are purely vegan as well. Honey, gelatin, or fish oil are some of the ingredients that aren’t vegan. You should check this out before buying any product.
- What are some of the genuine vegan peanut butter brands?
Here are some of the genuine vegan peanut butter brands– Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter, PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, Yum Butter Organic Peanut Butter, Spread the Love Organic Peanut Butter, etc.
- Why is sometimes palm oil a concern?
Palm oil is absolutely vegan but its production leads to widespread deforestation of rainforests which isn’t good for animals and the environment.
