Is peanut butter and jelly gluten free

Peanut butter is nutty, creamy (or crunchy, depending on your desire), high in protein, and a favorite in many families, but is peanut butter gluten free?

Well, those who are gluten-free may face a few additional challenges before deciding whether to go creamy or crunchy.

There are several brands of peanut butter and other nut butters available on store shelves. Some manufacturers add extra ingredients to their nut spreads to make them more appealing or to extend their shelf life.

However, if the consumer’s objective is to receive the health advantages of these nut butters, it is advisable to stay with products that include only peanuts and no other additives.

Navigating the marketplace to identify whether a meal is gluten-free to avoid an allergic response or hurting your digestive system may be a time-consuming and stressful process, but it all boils down to one question:

Is Peanut Butter Gluten Free?

Peanuts, peanut flour, peanut oil, and peanut butter are gluten-free by nature. The problem with gluten-containing peanut butter stems from the possibility of cross-contamination.

Peanut butter is made out of at least 90% peanuts, as well as sugar and salt for flavor. “Natural” peanut butter is often made with only three ingredients. Because natural peanut butters lack stabilizers, the peanut oil separates and accumulates at the top of the jar.

Even though “stirred” peanut butter contains stabilizers, it is still manufactured using gluten-free ingredients. To keep the peanut butter from separating, vegetable or palm oils are employed as stabilizers.

Cross-Contamination

Although most brands of peanut butter do not contain gluten, they may have been processed and packaged at a facility that also manufactures gluten-containing items. It might potentially be produced on the same lines as gluten-free food.

The issue is that as they transition from product to product, the equipment may or may not be cleaned. This might result in cross-contamination.

That is why, if you are really sensitive to gluten, you should choose a brand that is labelled as gluten-free or even certified gluten-free.

Peanut Butter Nutritional Value

Peanut butter’s popularity stems from its texture and flavor, but don’t allow the great taste fool you into thinking it’s too good to be true.

While it is a calorically rich food, meaning it contains a lot of calories in a small portion, it also contains a lot of nutrients.

• Minerals and vitamins

Peanut butter is high in micronutrients. Magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E, folate, copper, potassium, and manganese are among them.

All micronutrients are required for good health and should be obtained from a range of complete meals on a regular basis.

• Protein

Peanut butter typically contains 7 grams of protein per serving. As a result, the nutty spread contains roughly 25% protein.

As a result, it may be regarded as a great source of plant-based protein. It does not, however, contain all nine required amino acids, making it insufficient as an only protein source.

• Fats

Peanut butter, like most nut butters, has a high fat content. This fat level, however, is often composed of “good,” or unsaturated fats.

These fats are thought to be heart healthy due to their ability to decrease cholesterol, prevent blood clots, promote regular heart rhythm, and may even help lower blood pressure.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brands

Here is a list of brands who have confirmed that their product is gluten-free on their website or on the label.

This signifies that none of the components contain gluten and that the product was not contaminated with gluten during the manufacturing process.

• Crazy Richard’s: They advertise their peanut butter as having only one ingredient, and they state on their website that all of their products are gluten-free.
• Skippy: On their website’s FAQ section, Skippy certifies that all of its variations are gluten-free. Additionally, they provide a version with no added sugar that just contains salt, peanuts, and palm oil.
• Spread the Love: Their naked peanut butter is made entirely of peanuts. It is also declared to be gluten-free on the label.
• Teddie: They also affirm on their website that each one of their goods is gluten-free and clearly marked as such. Not to mention that the only ingredients in natural peanut butter are peanuts and salt.
• Earth Balance: All varieties of peanut butter from Earth Balance are designated as being gluten-free on the jar.
• Elliot’s: All flavors and the traditional peanut butter (just 2 ingredients) are marked as gluten-free.
• Fatso: According to their website’s FAQ, Fatso’s whole product line is gluten-free certified. But when it comes to peanut butter that has been “enhanced,” even their standard version has a number of additives, including organic coconut oil, tapioca fiber, avocado oil, chia seeds, powdered flax seeds, triglycerides oil, and natural coconut flavor.
• Jif: Although Jif’s peanut butter products are marked gluten-free on the container, the majority of them include an absurd amount of additives. Their no sugar added variety, which has simply peanuts, palm oil, and salt, might be a better choice.
• Justin’s: Its traditional peanut butter is made with only two simple ingredients—peanuts and palm oil—and is gluten-free certified.
• MaraNatha: According to their website, MaraNatha – All varieties of peanut butter are gluten-free certified.
• Once Again: All of the ingredients in their peanut butter are peanuts. It is also declared to be gluten-free on the label.
• Peanut Butter & Co.: Peanut Brands: They affirm in the FAQ section of their website that none of their products contain gluten, even though just two of them—Simply Smooth and Simply Crunchy—have not received certification. But these two are now marked as gluten-free, so maybe the only outdated information is on the website.
• Santa Cruz Organic: They affirm that all of their goods are gluten-free in the FAQ section of their website. Only peanuts and salt are used to make their peanut butter.

How To Pick A Peanut Butter?

Now that you are aware that most peanut butter is gluten-free, here are a few things to watch out for:

• Added sugar

Peanut butter can have a very high quantity of sugar, whether it is natural, no-stir, or conventional. The typical serving size on a regular peanut butter jar is roughly 2 tablespoons, but most of us consume at least double that amount by spreading it over a PB&J.

To avoid going above the RDA suggested value of 5 to 9 tablespoons per day, read the ingredient label and eat in moderation.

• Coconut oil

Although it can be a healthier option to partly hydrogenated oils, palm oil is often used in peanut butter, and its manufacturing raises certain ethical and environmental concerns.

To support businesses that encourage sustainable and ethical palm oil production, keep an eye out for palm oil in ingredient lists and look for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) mark.

• Saturated lipids

Although peanut butter may be a fantastic source of protein, fiber, and other minerals, it can also be a significant amount of saturated fat in your diet.

The good news is that beneficial fats often outweigh saturated fat in peanut butter. Consume in moderation and keep your daily intake of saturated fats to less than 10% of your total calorie intake, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

• Sodium content

Peanut butter has a high salt content. Those who are at risk for heart disease and high blood pressure may have negative health impacts from consuming more salt. The Dietary Guidelines advise limiting salt intake to 2,300 mg per day.

Tips For Avoiding Gluten

If you’re trying to shift to a gluten-free diet for the first time, you should try to buy goods that are labelled as such whenever you can.

Products must be manufactured in a facility that does not already produce wheat products in order to qualify for this accreditation.

Additionally, spend some time cleaning out any goods that have been sitting in your pantry. It’s likely that you’re clinging to meals that might be problematic for you. For those who cannot digest gluten, soy sauce and salad dressings commonly cause issues.

You don’t have to give up the things you enjoy, but you might want to make a few healthy dietary modifications.

Eat more vegetables if you can. Make as many meals as you can from scratch. You may then decide what goes inside it that way!

Finally yet importantly, make sure you’re aware with all of the many names for cereals that contain gluten. It is not sufficient to just scan labels for the term “wheat.”

Foods to avoid when eating gluten free

Additionally, you ought to avoid consuming foods that contain:

• Kamut
• Malt
• Seitan
• Semolina
• Tahini Sauce
• Wheat
• Barley
• Sauce soy
• Spelt
• Durum
• Einkorn
• Emmer
• Triticale flour
• Wheat flour

These are only the most typical. Before making a purchase, seek up an ingredient on Google if you’re looking at a packaging.

It is a good idea to keep an eye out for additives like maize starch and maltodextrin. These ingredients frequently contain gluten in secret.

You will eventually be able to fill your cupboard with a variety of delectable and enticing gluten-free meals.

Is peanut butter free of gluten? Although the majority of the items you will see are safe to consume, you should still exercise caution!

You may avoid consuming gluten without having to give up your favorite meals if you read labels, stick to safe items, and get in touch with producers when necessary.

So, is peanut butter gluten free?

Both peanuts and peanut butter are gluten-free in their natural state. If you are not very careful about the brands and items that you are buying, finding gluten-free products might be a little challenging.

Knowing the most reliable companies that are gluten-free is essential if you are genuinely serious about going gluten-free.

You must carefully consider the nutrition facts and the ingredients list in order to decide which products to purchase.

The list presented here may be helpful to folks who are thinking about changing brands while making that decision.

However, given that not all of them are accredited, you have to go the extra mile and check to see which ones actually adhere to their gluten-free claims.

Other related articles:

1. Are Corn Flakes Gluten Free?
2. Is Buckwheat Gluten Free?
3. Is Quinoa Gluten Free?
4. High Fiber Gluten Free Foods
5. Are Avocados Good For You? 
6. Cumin Nutrition And Benefits
7. Health Benefits Of Ginger
8. Are Garbanzos Good For You?

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