Peanut butter is a staple in many diet programs such as vegan and keto because it is perceived to be gluten-free. While we can ensure this with homemade peanut butter, most of us do not have the luxury of time and as such, turn to the supermarket to get one.
Not all of us too are very keen in looking at the labels of peanut butters and may lead us to believe that all peanut butters are gluten-free.
So, is peanut butter really gluten-free? In this post, you will know when it is and when it isn’t, so, read on.
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Is peanut butter gluten-free?
Peanuts, in their natural element, are gluten-free. In the same way, homemade peanut butters are surely gluten-free. And to be fair, most of those commercialized peanut butters found in supermarkets are also gluten-free.
As a matter of fact, peanut butters with gluten content are more ‘an exception to the rule’ than those gluten-free ones.
These few peanut butters that are not gluten-free are made with the addition of wheat powder due to cross-contamination issues of manufacturers with shared facilities.
As per protocol, and of course, to observe safety for those with celiac disease, all peanut butters are now labeled accordingly. So the only thing that separates you from a gluten-free peanut butter is to always check the label.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Brands
If you are a newbie in everything peanut butter, or if you want to switch brands soon because of personal reasons, it is best that you get to know your alternative brands when it comes to gluten-free peanut butter.
To help you in narrowing them down, here is a list of some gluten-free peanut butter brands:
| Crazy Richard’s | Only uses pure peanuts (no salt, oil, and sweeteners). Certified gluten-free brand by the USDA. |
| Fatso | Their products are certified gluten-free by the USDA. They also feature organic add-ons such as coconut oil, tapioca fiber, chia and flax seeds, and avocado oil. |
| Justin’s | This brand is certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) which is stricter than the USDA with its 10 million per parts requirement. |
| Krema Nut | This one is also under the tutelage of Crazy Richard’s. It is certified gluten-free and comes in classic and crunchy variants and sold in singles, by the jar, or in buckets. |
| Once Again | This small company is certified by GFCO and USDA as gluten-free, taking pride in their peanut butter jars as only made with peanuts. |
| PB Crave | Its certified gluten-free peanut butter variant is the gourmet brand. Although its peanut supplier is Hamptons Farms, a reputable gluten-free product distributor, some of its flavored peanut butters may have added sweeteners. |
| Peanut Butter and Co | This one is a homegrown company which started as a local sandwich shop in New York. It has maintained its homemade recipe through the years. Its peanut butter is certified by GFCO. |
| Santa Cruz Organic | Certified gluten-free by GFCO. Made of peanuts and salt only. |
| Skippy | It is labeled as gluten-free but is yet to be certified. |
| Spread the Love | It produces the naked peanut butter made of 100% peanuts and is certified as gluten-free by GFCO. |
| Teddie’s | This company labels all of their peanut butter as gluten-free. You can choose from organic, salt-free, flaxseed peanut butter, and old-fashioned. |
| Wild Friends | In fairness to this brand, all its 16oz peanut butter jars and above are labelled gluten-free. Alongside this, they admit that their single packets may contain wheat contents. |
Not labeled Gluten-free peanut butter brands
On the other hand, you must also be wary of those peanut butter brands that are not gluten-free. Here is a list of some unlabeled gluten-free peanut butter that you should be on the know:
| 365 (Whole Foods Brand) | It is claimed as vegan and non-GMO but it is not certified as gluten-free. |
| Adam’s | Produced by J.M. Smucker and Co. and claimed to be made with peanuts and salt only. However, it is not certified. |
| Better’n Peanut Butter | Their website FAQs claim that their peanut butter products are gluten-free but until now are not certified. |
| Good and Gather | It is not labeled as gluten-free. |
| Happy Belly | Claimed to be gluten-free but not certified. |
| Home Plate | It is claimed to be gluten-free by the website but not certified. |
| Laura Scudder’s | Made with peanuts and salt only but it is not certified as gluten-free. |
| Legendary Foods | They only produce flavored peanut butter and although they claim to be gluten-free, their products are not certified. |
| Kirkland | They make organic, creamy peanut butter but not certified as gluten-free. |
| Peter Pan | It comes with a ‘smart label’ and claims to be gluten-free but without certification and no available information in their FAQs. |
| Smucker’s | Peanut butter products of Smucker’s are claimed to be made with just peanuts and salt, but it is not certified to be gluten-free. No information is also displayed in their website so it cannot be confirmed. |
| Trader Joe’s | They distribute salt-free and creamy variants of their peanut butter, but they are not certified as gluten-free. No information, however, is available on their website. |
| Vor | It is only made with 100% peanuts, but it is not certified as gluten-free. No supporting information is also present in their website. |
Is Bega peanut butter gluten-free?
This Australian brand from New South Wales, is made of locally sourced peanuts from Queensland and sea salt. It does not have oil contents and you are sure that it does not have wheat residues because they are only made in exclusive peanut butter processing facilities.
It is certified as gluten-free by USDA and labeled as halal food, distributed to more than 40 countries including Middle Eastern countries.
Is Kraft peanut butter gluten-free?
In fairness to Kraft, each of its products contain a list of all of their ingredients. As far as the labels are concerned, Kraft peanut butter is not gluten-free. Some of its non-gluten contents include wheat, barley, and rye.
Although Kraft claims that their original flavor peanut butter is gluten-free, they do not have certification for this. But if you still want to consider buying from Kraft, just go with the original flavored peanut butter.
Is Sunpat peanut butter gluten-free?
This UK brand has been in the business since 1946. It takes pride in its gluten-free peanut butter made of 95% peanuts and four other ingredients which include salt and palm oil.
It is one of the most recommended peanut butter products for vegan and for those on keto diet. It is high fiber and certified gluten-free.
Are Reese’s peanut butter cups gluten-free?
According to the complete list of gluten-free Hershey’s products, Reese’s peanut butter cups are all gluten-free except for those seasonal shaped cups. So, if you are eyeing on using peanut butter cups to notch up your vegan and gluten-free brownies, never pick those egg, heart, and tree shaped peanut butter cups from Reese’s.
Are chocolate peanut butter cheerios gluten-free?
If the question is if this is healthy, yes, you can count on it for your daily iron, folate, zinc, Vitamins B6 and B12 intake. Albeit its chocolate and peanut butter content, it is 9grams lower in sugar than most flavored cereals. However, chocolate peanut butter cheerios are not gluten-free.
Here is a list of gluten free cheerios that you can take as an alternative:
- Original cheerios
- Honey Nut cheerios
- Multi grain cheerios
- Frosted cheerios
- Apple cinnamon cheerios
- Fruity cheerios
- Pumpkin spice cheerios
- Chocolate cheerios
On the other hand, the following would be the non-gluten free cheerios:
- Honey nut cheerios medley crunch
- Protein cinnamon almond cheerios
- Cheerios with ancient grains
- Protein oats and honey cheerios
- Multi grain peanut butter cheerios
- Multi grain dark chocolate crunch cheerios
- Chocolate peanut butter cheerios
- Banana nut cheerios
Is Jif peanut butter gluten-free?
There is a lot of contention about whether Jif is a gluten-free peanut butter or not. This is because it is another product of J.M. Smucker and Co. Since this company is also producing non-gluten free preserves and spreads, there are issues about wheat contents on their peanut butter because of shared facilities.
Nonetheless, Jif is still labeled as gluten-free with the recommendation from the USDA that it must meet the gluten-free standards of having less than 20 parts per million before it could be certified.
Conclusion
Gluten-free products can be a bit tricky if you are not that mindful of the brands and products that you are buying. If you really are serious about taking the gluten-free route, you have to know the most reputable brands that are certified gluten-free.
It is very important for you to also sift through the nutrition contents and the ingredients list for you to know which ones you should buy.
For those who are considering switching brands, the list provided here may come in handy in making that choice. But since not all of them are certified, you should also take the extra mile of reviewing which ones truly live up to their gluten-free label.
