Some products show up everywhere — subway ads, Instagram, celeb endorsements. With this series, we're testing such products to conclude one thing: Does it live up to the hype?
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, a dry, diet-friendly spin on a traditional pantry staple that contains 90% less fat than the calorie-dense real deal. Mix it with water to create a creamy consistency, and enjoy a rich, nutty taste that's nearly identical to the nostalgic sandwich spread of your youth — jelly optional.
The brand's original flavor is a versatile favorite, but powdered peanut butter cocoa, almond, and protein-boosted PBFit variations are also tasty low-fat and low-calorie alternatives that can help you achieve your health aspirations.
Fellow diehard peanut butter fans probably know that feeling of losing all willpower the second your spoon skims the smooth top of a freshly opened jar. Before you know it, you're 10 servings deep, with an entire day's worth of calories devoured in just seconds.
PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter turns the table on your relationship with the savory indulgent spread. It's made using only three easily identifiable natural ingredients (roasted peanuts, sugar, and salt), and produced through a two-step fat-extracting process.
First, the peanuts are pressed to filter out their natural oils, then they're ground up into a superfine powder that simply needs to be rehydrated with water when you're ready to nosh. This approach removes the majority of the guilt-inducing calories and fats found in traditional peanut butter, but leaves behind a satisfyingly familiar mouth feel and taste.
In fact, just 2 tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter contains 60 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, while the tried and true Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter, for example, packs a whopping 190 calories and 16 grams of fat in the very same serving size. Though it cuts back on the bad stuff, PB2 still retains most of the nutritional value found in peanut butter, including 6 grams of muscle-building protein per serving.
PB2 does boast a higher price tag than traditional peanut butter, but it has a longer shelf life, so you can make the most of your purchase. Peanut butter's high fat and low moisture content naturally makes it a breeding ground for bacterial growth, but because PB2 is significantly lower in fat, it's good to use for up to 5 years.
- Thousands of rave reviews on Amazon
- Love from the online health and fitness community, including recommendations from leading dietitians and nutritionists
- Buzz from powdered nut butters emerging as a new condiment category
If the new year feels like a good time to give your health habits an all-around reset, you may feel a little overwhelmed about how to start. I embarked on a fitness journey of my own several months ago, and since then have lost 50 pounds through mindful eating and exercise. Trust me — I know how daunting it is to set out on a healthier path, but I found that making simple swaps (like plain Greek yogurt for mayo, or frozen fruit for ice cream) can really add up and make a huge difference in the long run.
Of course, some substitutions are more obvious than others, and it took a bit of research for me to discover PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter. Fitness influencers, friends, and thousands of Amazon reviews encouraged me to add to cart, so when it arrived, I was already eager and spared no time in testing it out.
After thoroughly mixing with water, I first tried it solo, sans any accompaniments — just as I typically would straight out of the jar. The flavor is pretty spot-on, though slightly more muted than a traditional peanut butter and far less sweet. I've grown to enjoy its milder savoriness, and find that its balanced flavor profile better accompanies sweeter pairings without masking their unique tastes.
Texture-wise, it's significantly less oily than classic brands like Skippy or Jif, and therefore also less smooth. That being said, I appreciate how its rehydration process gives me full control of the consistency of my peanut butter. You're instructed to add 1.5 tablespoons of water for every 2 tablespoons of PB2 powder, but I found that a 2:2 ratio created the perfect texture for spreading and dipping, and made just the right amount to scoop up with a wholesome piece of fruit. A nice plus: The extra step of adding water means that I can't mindlessly deep-dive into a jar, so I end up being more in control of my portion sizes.
The slight differences in taste and texture are nearly undetectable when combined with other ingredients. It blends up seamlessly into yogurt bowls, overnight oats, breakfast smoothies, and baked goods — even without preemptively mixing with water. Use PB2 just as you would regular peanut butter. If you need some inspiration, the brand offers plenty of better-for-you recipes on their website, including this savory honey peanut chicken satay and a decadent flourless peanut butter chocolate cake.
If you're looking to cut back on fat and calories in the new year, substituting the choice-brand peanut butter from your childhood for PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter makes for an easy dietary swap. Once you mix it with water, its taste and texture are nearly identical to traditional brands — especially when combined with other ingredients. But with a clean, nutrient-packed ingredient list that contains 90% less fat and a fraction of the calories for the same serving size, the choice is easy. Whether you go full-on lunchbox classic with a PJ&J sandwich, or use it to step up your smoothies, PB2 powder is a smart way to satiate your peanut butter cravings.
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