Nuts About Nut Butter

Pippa Murray has always been a big fan of the health benefits and deliciousness of nut butter, but not such a big fan of the nut butters in supermarkets full of sugar and palm oil. This inspired Pippa to have a go at creating her own nut butter products that had all of the flavour and health benefits she loved, without the extra nasty bits. And so began the hugely successful company Pip & Nut, which has now lead to Pip & Nut: The Nut Butter Cookbook! But before you get your blenders roaring we thought we would share some of the reasons Pippa thinks nuts are so great:

Almonds
What’s so special about them? People get excited about almonds because they are packed with lots of minerals, like magnesium, and vitamins, like vitamin B2, which make your hair shiny and nails strong. They also contain naturally high levels of protein. This, coupled with their popularity in almond oil and milk, makes them the UK’s second favourite nut. Nice.

Macadamia
What’s so special about them? They contain high amounts of vitamin B1 and magnesium. Besides having a great omega-3 to omega-6 ratio – which helps in fighting inflammation – macadamia nuts contain the largest amount of monounsaturated fatty acids of any nut.

Cashew Nuts
What’s so special about them? A cashew tree bears numerous, edible, pear-shaped “false fruits”, called cashew apples, and on the bottom you’ll see the cashew nut. But here’s the catch: the nut is encased in a poisonous shell! Which is why, for safe eating, they must go through a rigorous roasting or steaming process to remove the substance. Nutritionally, cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts.

Peanuts
What’s so special about them? The beneficial plant fat in peanuts, which is about 80% unsaturated (considered the “good” fat) can help lower cholesterol levels when it replaces saturated animal fat in the diet. Peanuts and peanut butter are also naturally cholesterol-free!

Pine Nuts
What’s so special about them? Pine nuts are gluten-free tree nuts, but are probably best known for their use in pesto. It may surprise you to learn that pine nuts can be a potent appetite suppressor. Why? They’re a good source of a polyunsaturated fat.

You can get plenty more information on the benefits of nuts and seeds, as well as lots of delicious nut butter recipes in Pip & Nut: The Nut Butter Cookbook. Available from 29th December 2016, where all good books are sold. More info here