What are the best supermarket peanut butters? Altroconsumo's ranking
In American movies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches appear as frequently as car chases, but on Italian tables, the jar of spreadable cream has enjoyed for decades the same popularity as baseball, which in our country has few fans.
Today, this product made from roasted and ground peanuts, originally developed in North America in the late 19th century, can be found in every supermarket alongside hazelnut spreads, thanks to new diets and its reputation as a protein-rich food.
To help those who are lost among similarly labeled products, Altroconsumo, the independent consumer association, recently published a test of 27 products sold in supermarkets and discount stores. The verdict was for the simplest recipe possible, using only peanuts, and comes with a calorie warning to read before digging into the jar.
What are the best peanut butters to buy at the supermarket?
Three products tied for first place, each with a score of 91 out of 100, share an ingredient list that can be read in a second. The trio begins with Fiorentini's 100% Peanut Butter, a Turin-based company recognized by Altroconsumo as having made a significant contribution to the spread of this spread in Italy. The top spot is shared by Maribel Peanut Butter, sold by the discount chain Lidl, and iBooni Peanut Butter, made by a company in Brescia.
Just off the podium is the 100% peanut spread from Coop's high-end Fior Fiore line. It's followed by two organic versions from Esselunga and Euro Company, the Romagna-based company specializing in dried fruit.
The top 10 positions
- iBooni Peanut Butter. Ingredients: Peanuts. Rating: 91/100
- Prozis Crunchy Peanut Butter with Caramelized Pecans. Ingredients: Peanuts (91%), Caramelized Pecans (8%), Ground Cinnamon, Salt. Rating: 89/100.
What is the difference between peanut butter and peanut cream?
The name on the label is as helpful as the weekly horoscope, because Italian law doesn't establish how many peanuts a jar must contain for it to be called peanut butter or peanut spread, two terms that are usually used interchangeably.
In the United States, where peanut butter is called peanut butter, a federal regulation requires a minimum of 90% peanuts and a 55% fat limit. The regulation also requires that the oils added as stabilizers, used to prevent the cream from separating into two layers, be hydrogenated. See, for example, the "smooth" version of Calvé cream, which is smooth and free of peanuts.
How many calories are in peanut butter?
An important piece of data reported by Altroconsumo concerns calories, which in the test ranged from 553 kcal per 100 grams of Calvé's Light Peanut Cream to 664 for the Smooth version, with an average of around 620. The lighter version, which contains 30% less fat, drops to 77% peanuts and adds dietary fiber to the recipe, an ingredient that has a low impact on the energy balance.
At the top of the list, the "lightest" is Whole Earth butter, with 596 kcal, while the highest calorie content goes to the ninth-placed butter.
The credit, or blame, lies largely with peanuts, legumes whose pods ripen underground, unlike beans and chickpeas, and contain about 50% fat. Fortunately, unsaturated fats, considered healthy, predominate over saturated fats, which are more harmful. However, the spread should be spread carefully, as a 15-gram spoonful contains an average of more than 90 kcal.
What criteria did Altroconsumo use to draw up the ranking?
Unlike the coffee capsule test, which involved laboratories and the palates of expert tasters, this ranking is based solely on labels, namely the list of ingredients and the nutritional information. The values are based on the Nutri-Score algorithm, the color-coded system developed in France that assigns negative points to calories, saturated fat, sugar, and salt, while rewarding fiber, protein, fruit, and vegetables.
In the calculation, peanuts were assimilated to dried fruit, even though they are legumes, and the abundance of oil is considered a natural characteristic of the seed.
The association then examined additives, such as flavorings and added fiber, evaluating their type, quantity, and safety, along with ultra-processed ingredients, which rarely appear in peanut butters. The score, in short, measures the quality of the composition, without guaranteeing that the flavor will captivate you at first bite.
Why does an oil layer form in peanut butter?
Anyone who opens a jar of peanuts alone will inevitably find themselves having to deal with a layer of oil on the surface: this is the legume's natural fat, which in the absence of stabilizers separates from the solid part, confirming that the recipe is free of hydrogenated oils.
Keeping the jar in the refrigerator slows down the separation process but also speeds up the solidification of the fats, making the cream harder to work with. To bring it back to the right consistency, however, you just need to stir patiently, because the only grease you need to add to the jar is elbow grease.
