The Best Peanut Butter for Gaining Weight
Are you looking for a healthy way to gain weight or stop unintended weight loss? Peanut butter for gaining weight is a great, high calorie option.
In addition to being high in calories, peanut butter is a good source of heart healthy fats, protein, and other nutrients.
So then, which is the best peanut butter for gaining weight?
A sneak peek- it’s going to be the peanut butter you personally enjoy and want to eat. Skip to the list!
But in this article, we’ll dive into the nutrition of peanut butter, why it’s good for weight gain, and how to practically use peanut butter for gaining weight.
Peanut Butter 101
Peanut butter is made by grinding shelled, roasted peanuts until they are smooth (unless you like some chunks!).
Most people purchase premade peanut butter in jars. Additionally, many grocery stores offer peanut butter grinders so you can make a fresh batch of peanut butter.
Or you can make your own peanut butter at home.
Which is Better: Natural Peanut Butter or Regular Peanut Butter
While there is no formal definition of “natural peanut butter”, it is most commonly defined as peanut butter with only one ingredient: peanuts.
Many peanut butter brands will add additional ingredients including sugar, salt, or oil.
This is often done to extend the shelf life of the product. Or to prevent the peanut butter from separating (natural peanut butter will separate). Or even to change the taste.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the ingredients added to peanut butter cannot exceed 10% if you want to officially call the product peanut butter.
This means any peanut butter you purchase at the store contains at least 90% peanuts.
Products with fewer peanuts are known as peanut butter spreads.
Natural peanut butter is not better or worse than regular peanut butter. It really depends on your own personal preference for peanut butter ingredients, texture, and flavor.
Read the ingredient list and nutrition facts label on individual peanut butter products to guide you in making the best decision for you.
Peanut Butter Alternatives
It goes without saying, but those allergic to peanuts should not consume peanut butter.
Peanut butter alternatives to consider, depending on preference and allergies, include:
- Almond butter
- Walnut butter
- Pecan butter
- Cashew butter
- Hazelnut butter
Seed butters can be a fun alternative if you are unable to eat nut butters. Seed butters include sunflower seed butter and pumpkin seed butter.
Peanut Butter Nutrition
Peanut butter is a great food for gaining weight because it is jam-packed with good nutrition!
For example, peanut butter contains heart healthy fats, protein, fiber, niacin, manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, folate, copper, and phosphorus.
Calories in Peanut Butter
A serving of peanut butter is typically 2 Tablespoons. Keep in mind, the calorie count of peanut butter will vary based on brand and ingredients.
Brands that add sugar, honey, or oils will likely have more calories. The addition of salt does not include calories (salt is calorie free).
In general, a 2 Tbsp serving of peanut butter contains 190 calories.
This makes peanut butter a great, calorie dense (high in calories per volume) food!
Protein in Peanut Butter
A 2 Tbsp serving of peanut butter contains 8 grams of protein.
Protein along with resistance exercise is helpful to maintain and grow muscle mass. This is especially important for those who are losing weight (and muscle) unintentionally.
And with healthy weight gain, we want to see muscle gain as well!
Some peanut butter brands will pack in some extra protein, typically through the addition of protein powder or peanut butter powder.
Be sure to read the nutrition facts label of the peanut butter you are eating to confirm the protein count.
Fat in Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a high fat food. High fat means high calorie. Fat contains more than twice the number of calories per volume than protein or carbohydrates.
For those with a poor appetite or just can’t eat a lot of food at once, high fat foods are a great option. You get more “bang for your buck”, meaning more calories in every bite.
As you likely know, there are different types of fat. Peanut butter is high in a heart healthy fat known as monounsaturated fats.
Talk to your dietitian or healthcare team about the best nutrition options for you.
A 2 Tbsp serving of peanut butter contains 16 grams of fat.
Why Peanut Butter for Gaining Weight?
Peanut butter is great for gaining weight because it is a high calorie food. It has a lot of calories per volume. Plus, it is packed with so many other helpful nutrients.
As discussed above, peanut butter provides protein for the muscles, monounsaturated fats for the hear, and even fiber for good digestion.
For those following a vegetarian or vegan diet, peanut butter is an excellent plant-based option. Please note, if you do not eat honey be sure to read the ingredient list on different peanut butter products. Some peanut butters do add honey.
And peanut butter is versatile. You can use it in many ways and in many dishes.
The Best Peanut Butter for Gaining Weight
Without further ado, here our list of the best peanut butter for gaining weight.
Remember, the best peanut butter for you is the one that meets your individual needs. This can include individual health status and taste preference.
This also means the peanut butter you will eat. The best peanut butter in the world won’t help you gain weight if you don’t like taste and don’t eat it.
You may prefer natural peanut butter, the peanut butter you grew up on, generic brands, or even brands with added nutrition benefits.
Find the best peanut butter for you!
9 Peanut Butters for Weight Gain
*This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter
- Jif Extra Crunch Peanut Butter
- Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter Spread
- Peter Pan Creamy Peanut Butter
- Adams 100% Natural Peanut Butter
- Crazy Richard’s 100% Peanut Butter
- Teddie All Natural Peanut Butter
- Kirkland Creamy Peanut Butter
- Spread the Love Peanut Butter
How to Use Peanut Butter for Gaining Weight
Peanut butter can be used in many ways to help you gain weight! Here are some ideas to help get you started. Especially if you are stuck on ideas for how to eat peanut butter.
Eating Peanut Butter by the Scoop
It goes without saying that you can just eat peanut butter by the scoop! Be sure to use a clean spoon before scooping into a jar of peanut butter. And don’t double dip.
You can also eat peanut butter with apples (spread the peanut butter on the apple or dip!). Or spread the peanut butter on celery. Add some raisins for “ants on a log”!
High Calorie Peanut Butter Recipes
Some classic ways to eat peanut butter is in a sandwich.
A good old peanut butter sandwich paired with a glass of whole milk can make a great high calorie meal.
Different Types of Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Here are some fun variations to peanut butter sandwiches:
- Peanut butter and jelly (classic!)
- Peanut butter and banana (my fav)
- Honey and peanut butter
- Peanut butter and Nutella
- Bacon and peanut butter
- Peanut butter and apple
Know the sky is the limit for your peanut butter sandwich creations. I once had an elderly client who enjoyed peanut butter and Vienna sausage sandwiches.
I never had the stomach to try this one! Though I have had a hamburger with peanut butter (it was good, I promise!).
High Calorie Recipes
Our sister website has tons of delicious high calorie recipes. Here are a few goods high calorie recipes with peanut butter for gaining weight.
We also have quite a few high calorie shakes and smoothies on the website!
High Calorie Peanut Butter Shakes and Smoothies
Peanut butter is a great addition to a high calorie shake for weight gain. It adds a boost of calories and flavor to any shake or smoothie.
Here are some high calorie smoothies with peanut butter to try:
- Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Coffee Smoothie
- Blueberry Peanut Butter Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Powder Smoothie
If you love high calorie shakes, check out our High Calorie Shakes e-Cookbook. It contains some great shakes with peanut butter for gaining weight!
Other High Calorie Foods for Gaining Weight
Peanut butter is just one of many delicious, healthy foods for gaining weight.
Other high calorie foods for gaining weight include:
- Avocados
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Greek yogurt
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Dried Fruit
- Trail Mix
- Fats and Oils
- Bananas
- Coconut
- And more!
We have a whole archive of High Calorie articles on the website if you would like to learn more.
Additional Weight Gain Resources
If you are looking for additional weight gain resources, be sure to check out our other helpful articles. And our selection of paid, digital products.
Here are some helpful weight articles:
- 41 Cheap High Calorie Foods for Weight Gain
- High Calorie Smoothies for Weight Gain [Ultimate Guide]
- Tips on How to Gain Weight Fast and Healthfully
- Vegan Diet for Weight Gain [FREE Meal Plan]
- High Calorie Meals with FREE Meal Plan
- High Calorie Soft Foods for Weight Gain
- Easy High Calorie Snacks for Weight Gain
And here are some weight gain products I offer:
- Gaining Weight Made Easy Course
- High Calorie Shakes e-Cookbook
- High Calorie Recipes e-Cookbook
- Weight Gain Secrets e-Book
Conclusion: The Best Peanut Butter for Gaining Weight
Well, this wraps up our article on the best peanut butter for gaining weight!
I hope you learned a lot about peanut butter and how it can help you gain weight or stop unintended weight loss. There is no one perfect peanut butter out there. But I sure hope you can find the one you love.
Best of luck!
Peanut butter is a great option for weight gain and the fact that it can be used in a variety of recipes makes it one of the most accessible options out there.