Peanut butter is a delicious treat that you can’t definitely resist. The taste is highly indulging and there are varieties of ways of eating it. You can add it up over your favorite smoothies, spread it on top of apple slices or you can directly lick it from your tablespoon. But, the main concern regarding it lies behind the query “does peanut butter contain gluten”.
As we go along, we will discuss the gluten content of peanut butter to be able to address the doubt of most peanut lovers out there. We will also have some glimpse about gluten, its benefits, and its negative effect on the health of individuals. So, if you are ready to taste the sweetness of this yummy treat, let’s check them out below!
What is Gluten?
Actually, gluten is a collective name of natural proteins that occur in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Gliadin and glutenin are two of the most popular proteins present in gluten. But, when it comes to the health-related issues about gluten, it is gliadin that is generally responsible for it.
Moreover, once the mixture of water and gluten takes place, there is a result that appears like a sticky glue-like texture. This appearance supports the binding of some particular foods providing them with a shape. Additionally, this sticky appearance is also the one which caters a chewy texture on some foods like pizza.
Because of this, most food manufacturers started to end up adding gluten to some specific food that they were producing. Doing this, food manufacturers can produce big quantities of food even at a small cost. And, it is due to this reason that many more foods today are considered to have gluten. There are actually wide ranges of foods in the market that have high gluten content. These foods are pasta, bread, beer, and any food made with flour.
With this, many people are also thinking about the query does peanut butter contain gluten? Fortunately, most of the food labels and packaging indicate if the food contains gluten or if it is gluten-free. Meaning, looking closely on the label, you will already know the answer behind the concern does peanut butter contain gluten.
Basically, the main reason behind indicating a gluten-free claim in the product label is for those who have gluten allergies that might be triggered by consuming gluten-containing food. However, there are some gluten-free alternatives that you may consider. The examples of these are the tapioca flour and rice flour which can be used in pizza, pasta and some kinds of noodles respectively.
Benefits of Gluten-Free Foods
Primarily, gluten-containing food irritates the digestive systems of some individuals. Due to that, removing gluten from their diet may provide some health benefits. Basically, gluten-free food aids in losing weight. Yet, doing this alone will not actually lead to losing weight, thus eating a small amount of gluten-free food such as bread and pasta will do the trick.
Another good thing to consider is to change your regular pizza or pasta meal into a chicken salad. This will definitely prevent the carbohydrates overloading.
Which groups of people react negatively from gluten?
Actually, most people are unknowingly eating gluten without getting any adverse reactions related to health. But, when it comes to individuals suffering from celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and wheat allergies eating gluten may cause a serious issue.
Celiac disease is a disorder of the autoimmune system that has a big impact on the small intestine once there is an intake of gluten. Basically, this disorder affects about 1% of the population globally. Eventually, this will lead to nutrient deficiencies and other diseases. The most common symptoms of celiac disease include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, and skin problems.
Meanwhile, individuals with gluten sensitivity are those having negative result for celiac disease but still have a negative response with gluten. The symptoms are almost similar to that with the celiac disease such as the bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
Moreover, some people are also allergic to wheat. This group of people may also find some digestive issues the moment they consume gluten. People fall under these 3 categories of ailments highly require removing gluten as part of their diet.
Nowadays, the gluten-free diets are becoming popular to the public especially in terms of its association with weight loss. But, always bear in mind that going after this type of diet will not ensure a total weight loss.
Peanut Butter and Gluten
After having an idea about gluten, it is now time to take a look behind the query does peanut butter contain gluten. But, first, let us try to dig out what’s inside that product in order to answer does peanut butter contain gluten. Actually, peanuts itself are naturally gluten-free if it does not have any added seasonings. But, most manufacturers almost fail in maintaining entirely gluten-free products.
Ingredients of peanut butter
The peanut butter is basically made of four main ingredients:
- Peanuts – this is the major ingredients of peanut butter which are actually ground. Basically, peanuts come in the legumes family and all legumes do not have gluten. Knowing this, you can assume the answer to the question does peanut butter contain gluten.
- Oil – the second ingredient generally comes either from peanut or sunflower. Addition of various oils offers smooth and creamy texture to the peanut butter. It is also good to take note that almost all of the oils available do not contain gluten. Again, this may help you determine does peanut butter contain gluten.
- Salt
- Sugar
Generally, these last two ingredients are also gluten-free in which we may determine does peanut butter contain gluten. Noticing the above-mentioned ingredients, we may say that they are too basic. That’s why other brands incorporate additional ingredients like the molasses, monoglycerides, and diglycerides. Moreover, they also add fully hydrogenated vegetable oils which come from soybean and rapeseed.
The fully hydrogenated oils basically contain a high amount of trans-fat. This only means that your body would have a hard time breaking down those oils into energy. Because of that, it will typically lead to the storage of fat cells. More so, that phenomenon in the production of peanut butter makes most processed brands less healthy. It is also the reason behind the query does peanut butter contain gluten?
Peanut Butter and Gluten Intolerant Individual
Does peanut butter contain gluten? Well, based on its ingredient, peanut butter is gluten-free. But, when you look at the way of eating it, people may consume gluten. Usually, spreading peanut butter over the bread is one of the most common and delicious ways of eating it.
Basically, the bread is made of flour and the flour in the bread has gluten. So, if you are gluten intolerant, you can actually eat peanut butter because peanut butter is gluten-free. And for you to eat without experiencing any digestive issues, simply spread the butter into slices of apple. Top it with some cinnamon or you can also add it to smoothies.
Luckily, there is available bread in the market today that has gluten-free alternatives. Yet, the main point of concern here is the possibility of cross-contamination. You may not able to consume gluten but you have exposed to it accidentally the other way around.
Does Peanut Butter Contain Gluten?
Since peanuts are gluten-free on its own natural way, if you ask does peanut butter contain gluten, then you could conclude that it is a big no! This comes especially true from those well-established and trusted brands that sell gluten-free certified products.
Basically, the maximum level of gluten that is safe for the consumption of people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease is about 20 parts per million. Yet, lots of gluten-free food products usually have less than that maximum level of gluten.
Based on studies, some individuals suffering from gluten sensitivity or celiac disease have the ability to eat until 50 mg of gluten. But others can only tolerate around 10 mg in order to exhibit intestinal conditions.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butters
Below are some of the trusted brands of peanut butter that is gluten-free and effectively maintain the smallest level of gluten out of their products.
Jif
A well-established peanut butter brand in America, Smucker Company owned the manufacture of fresh roasted and creamy textured Jif peanut butter. But still, many people are wondering if Jif is gluten-free.
Generally, Jif contains roasted peanuts and sugar which are both natural ingredients that don’t have gluten. Aside from that, also included in the list of its ingredients are 2% of molasses, monoglycerides and diglycerides, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils, and salt. All of those ingredients are gluten-free as well. With this, Jif’s peanut butter is gluten-free.
Meanwhile, you can also check their site in the product information section if the product is really gluten-free. In their product label, there is also a gluten-free portion where they can tell if their product does not have any gluten.
Peanut Butter & Co.
Another brand of peanut butter that most people wonder if their peanut butter is gluten-free or not is the Peanut Butter & Co. Based on its ingredients, it has peanuts, cane syrup, salt, and palm fruit oil which do not have any traces of gluten. This makes Peanut Butter & Co. a brand of peanut butter that is gluten-free.
Peter Pan
This brand of peanut butter actually faced a problem due to the salmonella outbreak dated from 2006 to 2007. The owner of the company ConAgra was required to pay about $11.2 million of penalty. Over 44 states and around 700 people had been infected by the outbreak. Fortunately, there were no recorded fatalities during that time.
Going back, their Peter Pan brand is not exempted on the issue of peanut butter and gluten. The company stated that almost all of their peanut butter contains gluten-free ingredients. They also claimed that they are certified as non-GMO by the NSF. Basically, their main ingredients are roasted peanuts, sugar and salt and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils which are all gluten-free.
Skippy
Skippy is another brand of peanut butter facing the concern about does peanut butter contain gluten. If we will look at its ingredients containing roasted peanuts, sugar, salt, and hydrogenated vegetable oil, we may conclude that Skippy peanut butter is gluten-free.
Teddie Natural Peanut Butter
This brand of peanut butter only contains roasted peanuts and salt which, by nature, do not have any gluten content. With this, the Teddie Natural Peanut Butter is peanut butter that is gluten-free.
But, for safety purposes, it is a general rule to read the ingredient list on the labels of any products most of the time. Actually, the major ingredients of peanut butter are all free of gluten. Yet, there are companies that may opt to change their recipes as part of their marketing strategy. With this, there is a possibility that some peanut butter might have ingredients that have a certain amount of gluten.
Homemade Gluten-Free Peanut Butter
Undoubtedly, peanut butter is one of the delicious treats. However, there are some awesome ways to enjoy it on your own. Check below for the unique ways of giving yourself an enjoyable delicious treat.
1. Lining like Ants
Enjoy peanut butter by spreading some of it over the celery crevice. Afterwards, line up some raisins over it. Some may find it weird but it is basically a yummy one.
2. Marshmallow Sandwich
Basically, get a marshmallow and have some great tasting peanut butter sandwich.
3. Banana and the Nut Butter
If you are looking for a healthy snack to dig in, go for this banana and peanut butter treat. You can also consider adding some honey to incorporate some sweetness. Pour on some milk and it will definitely be a yummy treat.
4. Peanut Butter and Jelly
This delicious peanut butter sandwich is generally the all-time favorite.
Making a Homemade Gluten-Free Peanut Butter
In order for you to make that the peanut butter is actually gluten-free, you may consider making your own one. Since it only has 4 basic ingredients, the procedure on making it is also simple as well. This way, you are very definite to yourself that the peanut butter you’re eating is gluten-free. Aside from that, this may also help in controlling the sugar and salt level and you can also keep off from unhealthy additives.
Basically, you will need peanuts, salt, honey instead of sugar for a little bit healthier treat, and some peanut oil. Moreover, you must have a food processor if you opt for smooth textured peanut butter.
Final Thoughts
Does peanut butter contain gluten? Naturally, no! From the peanut itself down to the other three major ingredients, peanut butter is generally gluten-free. However, it doesn’t mean that you should not take extra caution in eating such product especially for those suffering from celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.
Aside from that, be very careful in eating peanut butter especially the processed one that has fully hydrogenated vegetable oils of soybean or rapeseed oil. Luckily, there are numbers of well-known and trusted peanut butter brands that are really gluten-free. But, it is also important to be very keen on checking the labels of the peanut butter products and look for the gluten-free statement before buying one.
