These 5 Peanut-Free Nut Butters Will Change Your Life

Peanut butter is one of the most beloved foods in America, and just about every kid grows up eating loads of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (if you didn't, we pity you). But when it comes to nut butters, peanut butter is just the tip of the iceberg. If you're a fan of peanut butter, we highly recommend that you branch out and explore what other nuts have to offer. Other nut butters offer tons of surprising nutritional value — not to mention, they're uniquely delicious. Here are five:

Almond Butter
Almond butter contains more calcium, fiber, potassium, iron, and manganese than peanut butter, and about half the saturated fat. It's also a good source of vitamin E and magnesium.

Cashew Butter
Cashew butter contains less fat than most other nuts, and is super-high in protein, unsaturated fats, and B vitamins, which boost metabolism, increase muscle and skin tone, and promote cell health.

Hazelnut Butter
Hazelnut butter contains twice as much vitamin E then peanut butter and is also high in monounsaturated fat, which can lower cholesterol.

Sunflower Seed Butter
While not technically a nut in a botanical sense (neither are almonds, cashews, or peanuts), sunflower seed butter is also a great alternative to peanut butter. It's high in protein, fiber, zinc, and iron, and is very low in saturated fat. It also contains three B vitamins: niacin, pantothenic acid, and folate.

Macadamia Nut Butter
Rich and insanely delicious, macadamia nut butter can't be found at many stores, but you can make it at home by grinding macadamias up in a blender or food processor. Two tablespoons of macadamia nut butter contain 1.1 milligrams of iron, 24 percent of the daily copper requirement, and 2.4 grams of dietary fiber.