If you have jumped on the seed butter bandwagon (and we sincerely hope you have) you may be in the process of choosing the right one for you. Roasting and toasting your own seeds to blend into butter may sound straightforward, but homemade is not always better when it comes to seed butter.
Why Choose Seed Butter Over Nut Butter?
There are significant health benefits in eliminating nut butter from your diet. Almond butter, cashew butter and peanut butter are delicious, but also high in saturated fats and carbohydrates. If you are committed to reducing these from your diet, whether for general health or due to following the ketogenic diet, seed butter is recommended. It is a great ketogenic friendly peanut butter substitute.
Additionally, roughly 1% of Americans live with a peanut allergy. With a further 30% of that also allergic to tree nuts, making seed butter the ideal alternative to nut butter. Beyond the Equator 5 Seed Butter is made in an environment completely free of the top 8 allergens. Meaning it is safe for consumption by those with even the most severe of peanut and tree nut allergies.
Seed butter also has a higher protein content than nut butter and is perfect as a low-carb, no nut peanut butter option. It has a similar texture and consistency to nut butter, so is an ideal replacement in recipes and as a spread. Beyond The Equator 5 Seed Butter is also low in sugar, contains no soy, is dairy-free and vegan.
Should sustainability be high on your radar, then seed butter should be on your shopping list. Pound for pound, the seeds used in our 5 Seed Butter use 90% less water to cultivate than almonds.
Homemade Seed Butter
There are quite literally hundreds of recipes for how to make seed butter online. Without a doubt, the most common recipes for homemade seed butter are sunflower seed butter. You will likely find there are a few for pumpkin seed, flaxseed and sesame seed too.
Making your seed butter at home is definitely do-able. You will require a heavy-duty food processor and the luxury of time to get a good result. The downsides of making your own seed butter are that it can involve a lot of trial and error. Too thin, too thick, too flavorless, too gritty…hardly appealing!
Add to this the expense of buying large batches of different seeds and the clean up of said food processor and it all sounds decidedly less appealing. Keep in mind that homemade seed butter will often have a lesser shelf life than store-bought also.
Store-Bought Seed Butter
There are several seed butter products available at your local health food store or specialty grocer these days. The majority of these focus on a single seed such as sunflowers and are not always made on a nut-free production line. Creating the risk of cross-contamination.
Additionally, blends of seed butter often contain sesame seeds, which while they are undeniably tasty, are another high-risk allergen. Many also contain high amounts of added salt, sugar and oil - taking away from their nutritious natural form.
Beyond The Equator 5 Seed Butter
At Beyond The Equator, we have taken all the guesswork (and mess) out of the equation for you. We have spent countless hours researching the best and most dynamic blend of seeds, optimizing their superfood benefits. We have also perfected the method, just the right consistency and in a range of textures and flavors.
We prefer to focus on 5 underutilized seeds and harness their incredible nutritional benefits.
Sunflower seeds which are high in magnesium, vitamin E and protein, they can help lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Chia Seeds that are high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, fiber, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese and selenium.
Flax seeds, also high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, can help lower blood sugar and insulin levels, aids in weight loss, improve skin health, and is rich in lignans which are shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Pumpkin seeds, high in iron, calcium, B2, folate and beta-carotene, which the body metabolises into vitamin A. They also contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Hemp seeds, high in protein, unsaturated fats, and fibre. It also contains zinc, iron and the B vitamins niacin, riboflavin, thiamine and folate.
When blending such a unique mix of seed sizes, textures and flavours at home, the results can be less than desired. Sunflower, flax and pumpkin seeds are known to have a distinctly earthy flavour which is unpalatable to many.
Toasting these seeds before blending them assists in creating the ‘nutty’ deliciousness many people miss when moving away from peanut or almond butter. Again, however, this is yet another time-consuming step and one frequently leads to charred, unusable seeds. Wasting your time, money and precious time spent eating!
The Many Uses For Seed Butter
If you’re new to seed butter, you may find yourself wondering if it is as versatile as peanut or almond butter. The answer is a resounding yes! Seed butter can be used as:
- A spread (including to create your favorite, nut-free PB&J)
- An addition to smoothies for added nutritional density
- Cereal topping
- Delicious dip for apple slices or celery sticks
- A substitute for peanut or almond butter in baking
- As a school safe, protein-packed snack
Make Or Buy - Just Make The Switch
Still not convinced? Try before you buy with our sample sachets and we will donate 100% of the proceeds to charity. Our commitment to good food, good health and sustainable food production is at the core of what we do. We are non-GMO certified and contain no artificial ingredients, just nutritious, natural food the way nature intended.
So whether you choose to make your own, or buy one of our extensively researched, tried and tested 5 seed blends, seed butter is the way forward. With no end in sight to nut allergies, it just makes sense to switch to a sustainable, safe solution.
Thankfully, a delicious nut-free substitute for peanut butter exists. By choosing it, not only are you making a great choice to avoid allergens, but you’re feeding your body with some of nature's best superfoods.