No, you should never pour out the oil floating on top of the peanut butter before consuming. Peanut butter is made by grinding roasted peanuts into a smooth paste. During transit and change in environment, the natural oils from the peanut butter start to separate and float on top.
As for vitamin E, the 2-tablespoon serving of “un-poured” peanut butter will contain 2.9 mg of vitamin E (about 15 percent of the recommended daily value); the same size serving of peanut butter minus that oil will contain about 2.5 milligrams (roughly 13 percent of the daily value).
Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is a nutrition scientist and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the author of “Power Nutrition” (Signet, 1998).
Finally, let’s put some numbers to this. Peanut butter is a healthful food with or without its top oil. Assuming you will be using the same serving size of the poured-off peanut butter, the calorie savings will be minimal. A 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter with all its oil will contain about 188 calories, 16 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugars.
Let’s say you pour off 3 tablespoons of oil (about 45 grams), after which you stir and refrigerate your peanut butter. A 2-tablespoon serving of this peanut butter will contain about 183 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugars. The differences will be 5 fewer calories and one fewer fat gram, but a bit more protein and carbohydrates. (All numbers are rounded to the closest whole number.)
DEAR DR. BLONZ: When I first open a jar of organic peanut butter there is always that pool of oil on the surface. It has always been my practice to pour off this oil before I stir and refrigerate for further use. Recently my brother happened to observe me doing the oil pour-off and immediately chastised me for discarding — in his words — “the most nutrient-rich part of the peanut butter.” I honestly had never thought about it before, but now I am wondering: What am I losing by pouring off that top layer of oil? — T.W., San Diego, Calif.
How To Store Natural Peanut Butter With Oil That Sits on Top
FAQ
Why does oil separate in natural peanut butter?
Are you supposed to mix natural peanut butter?