High Oleic Peanut Butter Benefits

Every jar of Good Stuff PB is made with high oleic peanuts, a premium peanut variety with a different fat makeup than the peanuts in most peanut butter. Here's what high oleic peanuts are, how they compare to regular peanuts, and why we use nothing else.

What are high oleic peanuts?

All peanuts contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat (also called omega-9). It's the same main fat found in olive oil. The difference is how much:

  • Regular peanuts: about 50% of their fat is oleic acid
  • High oleic peanuts: more than 80% of their fat is oleic acid
  • Olive oil, for comparison: about 70%

High oleic peanuts were developed through traditional crossbreeding, not genetic engineering. The first high oleic peanut variety came out of decades of breeding work at the University of Florida. Today, many peanut varieties grown in the U.S. are high oleic.

You'll also see them called hi-oleic, hi oleic or high-oleic peanuts. These all mean the same thing.

High oleic vs. regular peanut butter

Regular peanut butter High oleic peanut butter
Oleic acid (share of fat) About 50% More than 80%
Polyunsaturated fat Higher Much lower
Freshness / shelf life Goes stale and rancid sooner Stays fresh longer
Protein and calories About the same About the same

Why we only use high oleic peanuts

1. It stays fresher, longer. Polyunsaturated fats break down quickly when exposed to air, which is what makes nuts taste stale or rancid. High oleic peanuts swap much of that fat for oleic acid, which is far more stable. University of Florida researchers found high oleic peanuts can last several times longer before going stale. That means your last spoonful tastes as fresh as your first, without added stabilizers.

2. A better fat profile. Ounce for ounce, high oleic peanut butter has more monounsaturated fat and less polyunsaturated fat than regular peanut butter. Want to know what that means nutritionally? We break it down honestly in Is High Oleic Peanut Butter Healthy?

3. Great flavor. We slow roast our high oleic peanuts in small batches for a rich, nutty, slightly sweet flavor. Then we add a touch of wood smoked maple syrup for a taste you won't find on a grocery store shelf.

High oleic peanut butter FAQ

Are high oleic peanuts GMO?
No. High oleic peanuts were developed with traditional plant breeding (crossbreeding), not genetic engineering.

Do high oleic peanuts taste different?
Most people can't taste a difference from oleic acid alone. Because high oleic peanut butter stays fresh longer, it's less likely to pick up stale or "off" flavors over time.

Does high oleic peanut butter have the same protein?
Yes. Protein, fiber and calories are about the same as regular peanut butter. What changes is the type of fat.

Is "hi-oleic" the same as "high oleic"?
Yes, it's just a shorter spelling.

Which Good Stuff flavors use high oleic peanuts?
All of them. Every jar we make starts with high oleic peanuts.

Taste the difference

Every flavor is made fresh in North Carolina, in small batches, with high oleic peanuts:

Prefer to buy in person? Find Good Stuff at a store near you.

Source: University of Florida, "In A Nutshell," Explore magazine, on the development of high oleic peanuts.