Which Peanut Butter Is Vegan?

If you were to base your peanut purchases solely on the ingredients listed on the jar, most brands pass the test and are vegan-friendly. But vegans don’t start and stop with ingredients only. We look at various other aspects of manufacturing to ensure that the brand uses ethically sourced products and materials.

When you put this kind of focus on those various “vegan-friendly” peanut butters, you quickly find that they are anything but. Some vegans look at factors like sourcing as being a gray area. Thus, many choose to ignore it and focus solely on the label.

Regardless of where you stand, you can trust that the peanut butter brands we include here today are truly vegan-friendly, from ingredients to sourcing and more.

Something to Consider

Before we get to our list of vegan peanut butters, we feel it’s necessary to have a brief discussion on palm oil. You’ll see this ingredient in many products marketed for vegans. And at first blush, it would certainly seem that palm oil is a perfectly vegan ingredient.

However, closer inspection tells a slightly different story. You see, palm oil is technically vegan, yes. It doesn’t cost a lot to produce, it boasts a long shelf life, and it is a highly versatile ingredient to work with.

So, what’s the big deal? Well, as we stated in the open, many vegans care about more than just ingredients. Some want to know that the goods and services they are buying are not only doing good for animals but the planet, too.

That last part is where palm oil production falls flat on its face. Places like Malaysia and Indonesia account for some 85% of all palm oil on the planet. It goes without saying, but when the production of palm oil is that high in one area, there are concerns.

The loss of natural habitats and deforestation is happening at alarming rates, and it’s not like you can just replace the sprawling forests where palm oil comes from in a couple of years.

OK, so maybe you’re a vegan who views deforestation as a gray area. Not everyone holds to the same convictions, but most vegans can agree that protecting animals is of prime importance. When these forests get wiped out for palm oil, it leaves animals like elephants and orangutans in grave danger, as they have no place to live.

With this new insight, you can be sure to avoid “vegan” products that contain palm oil, thus doing your part to make the planet a better place for people and animals alike.

Vegan Peanut Butter Brands

To ensure that we adhere to truly vegan products, you will find no peanut butters among our selections that contain palm oil or any other anti-vegan ingredients or conflicting aspects. So with that out of the way, keep reading to check our top picks for vegan peanut butter.

Spread the Love Organic Peanut Butter

One glance at the ingredients will tell you everything you need to know about this product. The fact is that there is only one ingredient: dry-roasted peanuts.

Made in California, Spread the Love Organic Peanut Butter is made with a proprietary process that roasts and grinds the peanuts without the use of oils or additives. What you end up with is a jar of super smooth, natural peanut butter that tastes great.

And because this brand is so smooth, Spread the Love Organic Peanut Butter is perfect for protein shakes or mixing with other foods.

CB’s Nuts Organic Peanut Butter

Here’s another vegan peanut butter brand that uses just a single ingredient. Thanks to organic peanuts that are sourced locally in the United States, vegans can look forward to a creamy, flavorful peanut butter.

The rich flavor is impressive considering there are no salts, oils, or sugars. If you do like your peanut butter to have a slightly saltier taste, CB’s Nuts makes another vegan peanut butter that’s made with sea salt.

PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter

Not your typical peanut butter, PB2 is in fact a powdered product that you mix with water to achieve a creamy peanut butter. Because it’s a powder, PB2 is naturally less fat than other vegan options. What’s more, PB2 has high protein content, coming in at an impressive 12 grams.

There is the addition of sugar in this product, but PB2 is still wholly vegan. And the fact that it comes in powder form makes it incredibly versatile. You can easily mix the powder into shakes and other foods.

Whole Foods 365 Organic Peanut Butter

Whole Foods is already all about offering consumers healthful products, and this organic peanut butter is super affordable. You’ll find just a single ingredient in 365 Organic Peanut Butter, and that’s dry-roasted peanuts from the United States.

That means no additives, salts, sugars, or chemicals. Even better, this ethical, vegan peanut butter sure tastes great, too.

Yum Butter Organic Peanut Butter

In what may very well be the most flavorful vegan peanut butter on our list, Yum Butter uses a combination of organic peanuts, pink Himalayan salt, and coconut sugar. Together, you’re getting a unique yet delicious peanut butter blend that adheres to the vegan way of life.

Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter Co

Crazy Richard’s delivers a winner with its GMO-free creamy peanut butter. Although not organic, everything about this entry is purely vegan.

Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter uses peanuts and nothing more to bring you a delectable product. Just be sure to mix it before using, as the peanut oil tends to separate in the jar.

Is Peanut Butter a Good Choice for Vegans?

As long as you stick to brands that strive to avoid animal products, you can find peanut butters that are an excellent choice for vegans. If you aren’t adamant about avoiding palm oil, you can find an even greater selection of peanut butters with vegan-friendly ingredients.

We would like to share our other findings with you, too. So be sure to check out our info page for more vegan foods.

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