I know that “natural” is a meaningless marketing term. It still drives me nuts when peanut butter that consists of any ingredients other than peanuts is described as “natural”. So, what got me going this time? The Kitchn’s peanut butter taste test purporting to test seven natural peanut butters. But just how natural are all of those peanut butters?

1. Smucker’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: PEANUTS, CONTAINS 1% OR LESS OF SALT.

Not too bad. Although that 1% of salt amounts to 105 mg of sodium in a two tablespoon serving. Compare that to 0 mg of sodium in a truly natural peanut butter.

2. Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: Dry Roasted Peanuts, Palm Fruit Oil*.

I’m not sure why there’s an asterisk on the palm fruit oil as it doesn’t appear to lead to anything. Strangely, that addition of oil doesn’t appear to increase the fat content in comparison to a peanut butter that’s 100% natural.

3. Brad’s Organic Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: Organic Peanuts

Thumbs up for this one!

4. Whole Foods Creamy Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: Organic dry-roasted peanuts, organic palm oil, organic pure cane sugar, sea salt

Face palm. There is nothing natural about this. Organic ingredients and sea salt do not a natural product make. Thumbs way down.

5. Trader Joe’s Creamy Unsalted Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: Organic Peanuts

Another thumbs up. Funnily enough, I noticed that this is a product of Canada but we don’t have Trader Joe’s here.

6. Skippy Natural Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: Roasted peanuts, sugar, palm oil, salt

Skippy didn’t even bother to trick people into thinking their ingredients are healthy by using organic ones. Another faux natural peanut butter.

7. Smart Balance Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

INGREDIENTS: Peanut butter (peanuts, dried cane syrup, salt, molasses), natural oils (palm fruit and flax seed oils)

Is there something less than thumbs down? I give this one that rating. Two added sugars, two added oils, and salt. Pass.

If you want a natural peanut butter you’re going to have to look beyond the marketing terms on the front of the label. Check the ingredients. If you see anything other than peanuts it’s not truly “natural” and you need to decide if those extra ingredients are worth the extras (i.e. sugar, sodium, fat) they bring with them.