Is Honey Peanut Butter Spread - 85% Peanuts Keto?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look beyond the marketing claims and straight into the ingredient list. The first ingredient listed is dry roasted peanuts, which is excellent. Peanuts are naturally low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats, making them a staple for many keto dieters. However, the composition of this spread quickly diverges from a pure keto nut butter.

The primary issue lies in the sweeteners. The third and fourth ingredients are organic honey and organic cane sugar. While honey is often marketed as a 'natural' sweetener, from a biochemical perspective, it is primarily composed of fructose and glucose. These are simple sugars that the body processes rapidly. On a keto diet, the goal is to minimize glucose intake to prevent insulin spikes. Adding both honey and cane sugar essentially doubles down on the glycemic impact.

Finally, we have the oils: peanut oil and palm oil. The inclusion of peanut oil is actually a positive sign for texture, as it helps maintain a smooth consistency without separating. Palm oil is often used to prevent separation as well, though it is a point of contention for some health-conscious consumers due to processing methods. Neither oil adds carbohydrates, but they do contribute to the overall fat content.

Nutritional Value

When evaluating this spread for keto, the 'Total Carbohydrates' line on the nutrition label is just the starting point; we must calculate Net Carbs (Total Carbs minus Fiber). Because this product contains added sugars, the net carb count per serving is significantly higher than a standard natural peanut butter. A standard serving size of two tablespoons usually contains around 4 to 6 grams of net carbs for natural varieties, but added sweeteners can push this number higher.

For a strict ketogenic diet, the daily limit is typically 20 to 50 grams of net carbs. Consuming a serving of this honey spread could use up a substantial portion of your daily allowance in just one sitting, leaving very little room for vegetables or other nutrient-dense foods. While the fat content is high, the caloric density combined with the sugar content makes it a poor choice for metabolic ketosis. It fits better into a standard diet or a 'dirty keto' approach, but for clean, sustained ketosis, the sugar load is simply too high.