Better Food of the Week: Cashew Butter

Did you know a peanut isn’t a nut, it’s actually a legume? We tend to avoid legumes because of the systemic inflammation they can cause in our body. Peanuts are no exception. Virtually any tree nut is better for you in our book than peanuts.

In the last decade, peanut allergies have developed with increasing intensity. Between 1997 and 2002 peanut allergies doubled in young children. The exact cause for this is still unknown, but there are naturally occurring molds found on peanuts, which your body may recognize as foreign invaders, in turn creating an inflammatory response. Peanuts also contain proteins called lectins, which have proven to be problematic for digestion. Ultimately, even if you don’t think you have adverse reactions to peanuts, to promote a healthy gut and immune system, it’s best to avoid them. 

We know giving up peanut butter can be one of the most difficult challenges. There's something innately American that makes us love to eat peanut butter straight from the jar or put it on just about anything. But, to live better and healthier, we recommend other nut butter options that we believe are just as delicious and will promote a better diet.

We buy raw cashew butter because not only is it creamy and delicious (almost like nutty icing!), but out of other nut butters it has the one of the better ratios of healthy monounsaturated fats. Raw almond butter is also a top choice for us as a good source of calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6. Both are easy to find at a WholeFoods or other gourmet grocery stores. 

Whether you're adding nut butter to a smoothie or smearing it on an apple, we hope you'll choose raw cashew or raw almond butter to promote a healthier gut response.

Here's the product we recommend. Yes, it can be pricey -- but once you try it you'll be hooked; we assure you it's worth it!