Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

1. Health: 180 calories per tablespoon, 110 calories from fat, 2 grams saturated fat per serving
2. Versatility: married to jelly on bread, over celery sticks, on apple slices, in recipes
3. Price: $2.59 for a 16.3-ounce jar = $.16 per ounce
4. Taste: thick and sticky, sweetest of all in the test

Whipped Peanut Butter

1. Health: 140 calories per tablespoon, 100 calories from fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat per serving
2. Versatility: same as above
3. Price: $2.57 for a 14-ounce jar = $.18 per ounce
4. Taste: light and buttery, creamy medium sweetness

Low-Sugar, Low-Sodium Peanut Butter

1. Health: 190 calories per tablespoon, 130 calories from fat, 3 grams saturated fat per serving
2. Versatility: same as above
3. Price: $2.63 for a 17.3-ounce jar = $.15 per ounce
4. Taste: similar flavor to natural without the oily or grainy texture

Natural Peanut Butter

1. Health: 210 calories per 2 tablespoons, 150 calories from fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat per serving
2. Versatility: same as above
3. Price: $2.68 for a 16-ounce jar = $.17 per ounce
4. Taste: grainy, salty, oily, a little burnt flavor

Peanut Butter Powder

1. Health: 54 calories per 2 tablespoons, 25 calories from fat, .55 gram saturated fat per serving
2. Versatility: mix with water then use just like regular PB, can be used in recipes too
3. Price: $3.99 for a 6.5-ounce bottle = $.61 per ounce
4. Taste: grainy and textured

And the winner is Whipped Peanut Butter! Can you tell we love peanut butter? In fact, I've been on a mission to find the best possible peanut butter choice, especially after I realized there were more than 60 different kinds to choose from in my local grocery store! Of the five PBs in the test, I think the reduced-fat version had the best flavor and the sweetest taste. Chris liked the whipped PB the best. The whipped version was a good savings of calories, compared to the reduced-fat, low-sugar, and natural versions. The natural PB had the most impressive ingredient label (just peanuts and salt) but it just didn't taste very good, and the oil separation at the top was a little gross. If you're looking for a mostly-natural PB, the low-sugar and low-sodium one is a good option without the greasy separation. The PB powder is quite impressive. I had the chance to meet the inventor of PB2 at an in-store demo. It is significantly lower in calories than any other PB. The only downside is the very high price and the fact that you have to mix it up before eating it (just mix the powder with water), but I do like this product. So, it came down to the details. Considering all four test factors, the best choice for a flavorful, versatile, lower-calorie, reasonably-priced PB was the whipped version.