I'm all about almond butter

(Meaghan Sheehan) #1

Hi All!
I am a newbie here and after a few weeks feel much better. I’m reading about fats quite a bit and learn more every day. I LOVE LOVE almond butter. I always knew that it was packed with calories, but just learned that all nut butters seem to have a high Omega 6:3 ratio. Need advice on Omega 6. I know we need it in our diet but I really want to cut down:

  1. Should I be eating any nuts? (Trying to loose about 20 pounds) Love snacking on them.
  2. Are there any nut butters that would be more healthy or that I could make?
  3. Does anyone have great recipes with chia or flax seeds that might satiate me like almond butter does?
    From the advice given here, I should probably stay away from making those delicious almond butter bars I see a recipe for in the forum, but dont really know what to do. I also am getting that I SHOULDNT be craving almond butter if I am eating enough good/animal fat. Maybe I need to take in more during lunch. I seem to want almond butter after lunch and for dessert in the evening ( a big spoonful, or two)
    thanks for any advice!
(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #2

Hi there. Welcome aboard.

Keep your carbs sub-20 grams per day. Don’t snack. If you get hungry between meals eat more at the meals. Read nutrition labels carefully. Learn all the stealth words for sugar. Learn how to use the USDA food database to verify macros and micros.

My advice regarding nuts are: pecans, walnuts, macadamias. Read about almonds and almond butter here.

I’ll let someone else more knowledgeable comment about omega 6 and 3 ratios. I personally eat lots of oily fish, primarily herring, so I don’t worry about them. Avoid seed, nut and vegetable oils and your omegas will be OK.

(Scott) #3

This^^^^
You will do better without. Snacking will cause insulin to spike. My trick to get past the snack craving is to pop some salt in my mouth. It really helps.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #4

Let me add:


(Jane Srygley) #5

I do salted turmeric tea when fasting and it really feels like I’m “eating.” I’m getting a little obsessed with the stuff, not gonna lie :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

@amwassil Michael personally I disagree with regular nut consumption of any variety. Yes, they are nutrient dense foods that are from nature, but there’s a dark side to nuts. For one high amount s of omega 6 fatty acids. I found the almond article you linked sadly misinforming about the micronutrients in almonds. Particularly the fact that while high in minerals, she leaves out that they are also a big source of phytic acid. This is an anti nutrient that plants have developed in an attempt to make their nutrients void.

Nuts are also among the highest plant sources of lectins, which can bond with
nutrients in your body like some proteins to denyy their use. Nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains are the highest source of lectin in the plant kingdom which are nature’s pesticides basicly. Plants don’t want animals munching on their babies.

Phytic acid is a blocker that binds to minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron and many others to cause deficiency in their eaters. A slow poison for some and faster for other species. These toxins were not part of the plants evolution to keep humans from eating them but it’s questionable how that affects humans over their life span, especially as a regular source of nutrition. I have recently cut many “keto” plant foods from my regular consumption, like spinach and chard for their high oxalic acid content. I will still eat some spinach on occasion but I don’t buy tubs of it anymore. :cowboy_hat_face:

This covers lots of the anti nutrients, it’s very interesting stuff.

:cowboy_hat_face:

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #7

Thanks for the info. I apologize for linking an article with misleading info about almonds. I did not read it in its entirety. My bad. I don’t eat almonds so have little or no interest in them.

I’m surprised to learn that nuts I recommended contain ‘anti-nutrient’ chemicals. Plants need animals to spread their seeds, be they wrapped in sugary fruits or nutrient dense nuts. “Plants don’t want animals munching on their babies.” - yes, they do. And spread them far and wide smothered in nutrient dense poop fertilizer. Plants develop chemicals to deter us from eating their ‘bodies’, ie what we call vegetables. I’m going to investigate further because walnuts are a significant part of my daily diet. Pecans and macadamia not so much due to cost.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #8

They do want their fruits eaten, not the seed.

Check our that video, it’s fascinating. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #9

Re phytic acid:

Important quote #1:

Phytic acid is a unique natural substance found in plant seeds. It has received considerable attention due to its effects on mineral absorption. Phytic acid impairs the absorption of iron, zinc and calcium and may promote mineral deficiencies. (Source) Therefore, it is often referred to as an anti-nutrient. However, the story is a bit more complicated than that because phytic acid also has a number of health benefits… Phytic acid impairs absorption of iron and zinc, and to a lesser extent calcium. This applies to a single meal, not overall nutrient absorption throughout the day. In other words, phytic acid reduces mineral absorption during the meal but doesn’t have any effect on subsequent meals… However, when you eat high-phytate foods with most of your meals, mineral deficiencies may develop over time. This is rarely a concern for those who follow well-balanced diets but may be a significant problem during periods of malnutrition and in developing countries where the main food source is grains or legumes.

Important quote #2:

Phytic acid is a good example of a nutrient that is both good and bad, depending on the circumstances. For most people, it’s a healthy plant compound. Not only is phytic acid an antioxidant, it may also be protective against kidney stones and cancer. (Source 1) (Source2) (Source 3) (Source 4) Phytic acid is not a health concern for those who follow a balanced diet. However, those at risk of an iron or zinc deficiency should diversify their diets and not include high-phytate foods in all meals. This may be especially important for those with an iron deficiency, as well as vegetarians and vegans. (Source 1) (Source 2) (Source 3) (Source 4)

Important quote #3:

There are two types of iron in foods: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme-iron is found in animal foods, such as meat, whereas non-heme iron comes from plants. Non-heme iron from plant-derived foods is poorly absorbed, while the absorption of heme-iron is efficient. Non-heme iron is also highly affected by phytic acid, whereas heme-iron is not. (Source) In addition, zinc is well absorbed from meat, even in the presence of phytic acid. (Source) Therefore, mineral deficiencies caused by phytic acid are rarely a concern among meat-eaters. However, phytic acid can be a significant problem when diets are largely composed of high-phytate foods while at the same time low in meat or other animal-derived products. This is of particular concern in many developing nations where whole grain cereals and legumes are a large part of the diet.

Important quote #4:

For those who eat meat regularly, deficiencies caused by phytic acid are not a concern. On the contrary, consuming high-phytate foods as part of a balanced diet has numerous benefits . In most cases, these benefits outweigh any negative effects on mineral absorption.

My bottom line:

Thank you @David_Stilley you have nudged me to do some interesting research. Yes, the nuts I eat and recommend contain phytic acid, so do lots of otherwise nutritious foods. In fact, phytic acid itself has health benefits. I eat a well-balanced, ketogenic diet primarily animal sourced, generally of 3 meals per day of which only one may contain walnuts. When I eat walnuts it is almost always with bacon and frequently with additional pepperoni. And I do not eat walnuts every day, although usually 4-5 times per week. I think my risk of mineral deficiency due to phytic acid from walnuts is very low to non-existent. I think the overall benefits of consuming walnuts, particularly, but also the occasional macadamia nuts outweigh concern about any negative effects of phytic acid. With the caveats quoted above, I think those concerns are somewhat overblown.

Lectins, on the other hand, and oxalic acid, etc remain to be investigated. They have turned out to be more complicated so I’m still working on them. Again, thanks to @David_Stilley .

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #10

Oh, I should also mention that I get it, the carnivore people think plants are poison, toxins, killers, etc. to be avoided. That’s why they’re carnivores, right? I’m glad they’re out there on the lookout. I’d like to extend a hearty ‘thank you, guys!’ I’d also like to point out, however, that our primate ancestors were herbivores (even if occasional omnivores). The hominid family went for meat/fat eating big time, but we retain much of our primate ancestry nonetheless. The struggle for survival has always been a case of strike/counterstrike, action/reaction, measure/countermeasure. No one wants to be some else’s next meal.

#11

I love to eat small amounts of almond butter, and also brazil nuts, macadamias, pecans, walnuts - as a post-dinner treat with keto ice cream, or as a pre-dinner appetizer (I don’t count nut protein as part of my daily protein intake because it’s an incomplete protein) - about once a week. The key is “small amounts” and “infrequent” though!

If one is concerned about phytic acid *esp in raw nuts) one can simply soak one’s modest serving of raw almonds or whatever other nuts the night before in water, and drain & rinse in the morning. It removes most phytic acid and plumps them up beautifully so they’re much more like the fresh nut from the tree. Or you can sprout 'em, or roast 'em. Also, most almond butter for sale in the U.S. is made from steam pasturized or roasted almonds, which probably has much less phytic acid than the previously sold raw ground almond butter in health food stores (though not as sweet a taste).

Both the Drs. Eades and Phinney & Volek allow for nuts for emergency snacks during fat-adaptation - in modest amounts, like 1/4 cup - as a way to help nut-snackers not feel deprived, but they caution about avoiding roasted & salted nuts, as most folks cannot possibly stop at 1/4 cup!

There’s also the ancestral foods perspective that it takes a lot of work to harvest, shell, and prepare nuts - and our ancestors probably ate very small amounts of them:

“Back in the old days, if we wanted 500g of nuts for a recipe, we’d have to find a nut tree and then sit and crack them all open by hand ourselves. No doubt this helped limit how many we actually consumed. Nowadays we can consume kilos of them without a second thought. This makes it more important to prepare them properly than if we were just having a small handful now and then.” https://treadingmyownpath.com/2013/08/26/roasting-soaking-sprouting-activating-or-eating-raw-a-guide-to-eating-nuts/

As the OP and anyone else is concerned - regardless of any phytic acid concerns - keeping the nut servings “small” may be difficult if you’re using them to fulfill a taste craving and it can mean a slippery slope to slower body recomposition if you’re packing in daily abundant amounts of nuts. The Drs. Eades and others have written about the importance of being sparing with these energy-dense foods.

At the same time, I heartily aspire to living a little, and fat-adapted inclusion of various foodie treats. Low carb chef George Stella has a amazing easy recipe for honey-mustard roasted pecans in his quick & easy cookbook (he has like 7 cookbooks, and I just use the easy one). But I’d only make flavored roast nuts for a special side eaten with a whole protein meal. The company Legendary makes a magnificent almond-pecan pie flavored nut butter I get on Amazon (sweetened with stevia and erythritol and with salt added) - I’ve been successful at limiting myself to just 2 tblsp per serving (as a dessert or as a standalone small meal with additional foods), only once a week. It’s expensive, which also helps me treat it as special. :herb:

(hottie turned hag) #12

Almond butter, walnuts and pecans are sadly things I cannot have just a serving of :face_with_hand_over_mouth:
I never thought of myself as a food binger and wasn’t, but discovered that I cannot keep these things in the house so I guess I AM a binger with certain things. Ew. #hatemyself

I actually have jars of almond butter (got a bunch on sale, woohoo) at one of my daughter’s house, I have her dole out a jar to me on well-spaced apart occasions.

My point in this lament, @megstep25 is you might want to be careful with the stuff. I can and did eat an entire jar in a day :open_mouth:

(J) #13

I disagree with the ‘don’t snack’ suggestion when first starting out. There is no surer way to quit than feeling hungry all the time. Have lots of low-carb snacks handy! Once you become fat-adapted, you will stop being hungry in-between meals, but that takes time. Eat when you are hungry, until you are not hungry any more. Over time, this will probably end up being 2-3x per day.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #14

@MamaJ Please note that I also said if you’re hungry between meals eat more at meals. No one on this forum tells anyone to feel hungry all the time. In fact, the repeated advice is not to. Fat adaptation is not required before you stop feeling hungry between meals. And fat adaptation will not prevent hunger between meals if you don’t eat enough at meals.

Snacking between meals defeats one of the primary benefits of keto: getting the hormone insulin under control. Spiking insulin repeatedly all day long by snacking between meals will hinder fat adaptation.

(J) #15

If you snack on very low-carb, high fat snacks, you won’t necessarily be ‘spiking insulin all day long.’ I saw a bunch of DON’T SNACK replies, which I have found with myself and many of my patients is a sure way to get them to quit keto before they become fat adapted. In my experience as someone who now helps guide people, when appropriate for their case, to a low-carb lifestyle, this is what I have seen which is why I disagree with the opinion that eating bigger meals and not snacking from the get-go is the answer. Not everyone is as committed as people here, and individualizing recommendations instead of making blanket statements is always my stance.

(April Harkness) #16

snacking was also stalling me. I used to go to town on fat bombs made with coconut oil and various nut butters or even just scooping it out of the jar. I now do OMAD and incorporate a nut butter into one of my dishes. (call me weird but I either have tahini and sardines or tahini and eggs)After my omad, I am done for the day. No snacking. But I also agree with the above statment too. I lost over 20 lbs incorporating snacks. But when I stalled, I had to reduce the nut butters and snacking. SO I reduced to just one snack. When i hit another stall, and I wanted to tighten up, I cut out snacking all together and went OMAD. But it was a progression. I wasn’t ready for no snacking when I started keto, BUT… I was ready to kill the snacking within a few months. But i had to get my body used to keto… eventually my own appetite reduced to the point I don’t need snacks or even frequent meals. But i wouldn’t have stuck keto out if someone had told me to throw out all my peanut butter and stop snacking. Eventually it did happen…but sticking with keto had to come first for me.

(Scott) #17

While this may not be optimal I agree with it. When someone is switching from a carb burner to a fat burner I don’t see a lot of harm in a keto friendly snack. If would be far worse to go for a carby snack if they must snack. With the reduction in carbs there should be less desire to snack but I can’t remember if this is an immediate reaction or a slower transition. The other thing is when people have a snacking habit it may take some time to break it even if they are not hungry at the time.

(mole person) #18

I agree also. Most people with a fair bit of weight to lose will have success initially even with snacks and it helps to get them past the sometimes very difficult keto adaptation phase.

(PSackmann) #19

I think the suggestion should be to try not to snack. Going into keto, starting out by incorporating regular snacks (even Protein Power does this) as part of the daily plan will continue the snacking mindset. What worked for me was to tell myself to try not to snack. If I felt hungry, I started with some extra water, if that didn’t work I’d take a bit of salt. If that didn’t work, I’d get a pat of butter. Generally, that was all I would need, although occasionally I still need more than even the butter. If I had started out with the mindset of snacks on hand, I don’t know that I would have learned the difference in my hunger signals as well.

(Meaghan Sheehan) #20

Thank you!