Mixing Natural Nut Butters

Many of the nut butters you can find on the shelf—especially peanut butter—have added ingredients which shouldn’t be consumed on a regular basis. One you might see is called “high fructose corn syrup.” You can read more about this particular additive here. Another added ingredient you will see is called “hydrogenated vegetable oil.” This ingredient gives the peanut butter a smooth texture and prevents its oils from separating. Hydrogenated oil is a chemically modified preservative which prevents oils from going rancid after being on the shelf for too long.

It has become a guideline for me that if my family or I eat a certain food product almost every day, it will be made of whole ingredients and have little to no chemical additives. Peanut butter is one of those products that we eat every day—on toast, in sandwiches, with fruit, and inside oatmeal. It is a healthy choice for a plant-based protein and appeals to everyone in the family. Thus, we go for the natural varieties. So many clients and friends say they don’t like natural nut butters solely because “It’s too much work to mix it!” Well, I have a cure for you. With this tip, you will mix your nut butter just once and the oils won’t settle and separate again.

Here’s how you do it:

1. After purchasing your nut butter, store it in your cupboard upside down until you are ready to open it. Once you turn it over to peel off the paper seal, you won’t be faced with a splatter of oil gushing all over your hands and counter top, because the oil will now be settled on the bottom of the container.

2. Grab your electric hand mixer and insert just one beater into the mixer.

3. Push the beater as far as you can to the bottom of the container. Hold the container tightly—if it slips out of your hand, it’s a bad deal!

4. Turn the mixer on low and mix the butter for about 90 seconds or until the oil is completely dissolved into the butter.

5. Store your nut butter in the fridge. This keeps it fresh longer and prevents the oil from separating again.

And, there you have it! Now go out there and get yourself some natural nut butter! Check the label to ensure it has just one or two ingredients: nuts and a little salt. You will enjoy eating less added sugars, oils, and preservatives that the other brands contain.