Peanut butter is one of the spreads we enjoy eating from time to time. It has this creamy and rich flavor, perfect for sandwiches and some recipes. Thus, you’ll usually find them stored in cupboards of almost every household. However, one thing you’ll notice is that there is liquid on top if you leave it for some time. So, you may ask:
Why is there liquid in peanut butter? The liquid on top of your peanut butter is the oil from the peanuts. Thus, once you leave peanut butter for some time, the ground peanuts settle down and leave the oil on top. It’s completely safe, and you need to mix them up, and they’re perfect for spreading once again.
While peanut butter’s liquid or watery texture seems problematic, it’s completely normal, and it’s a good sign that your peanut butter is natural. Thus, you shouldn’t remove the liquid since it will make the peanut butter dry and hard. Instead, you need to mix it up to make it perfect for consumption.
In this article, we’ll walk you through all the things you need to know about the liquid in peanut butter. This way, you can understand what it means and why it’s safe for consumption.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
Is watery peanut butter bad?
No, watery peanut butter is not bad. As mentioned earlier, watery peanut butter means it contains a lot of peanuts that release the oil upon grinding. These oils make the peanut butter creamy and rich.
For this reason, the wateriness of peanut butter is a sign that the peanut butter is excellent and natural. Such oils are called monounsaturated fats, and it’s safe for consumption.
If you leave the peanut butter to sit for some time, you’ll see the oil rise while the ground peanuts sit on the bottom.
If you take out the oil, you’ll have dry and hard peanut butter. Thus, you should not remove it. Instead, you should mix it well to get the creamy texture and make it easier to spread.
What is the liquid in peanut butter?
When peanuts are ground, the oil that comes out of the nuts becomes the liquid in peanut butter. The natural oils in peanuts are released on the ground, resulting in creamy peanut butter.
The peanut oil will rise to the top of your peanut butter when it sits for some time at room temperature, while the ground peanuts will sink to the bottom.
Because of this, you can say that the watery nature of peanut butter is a sign of its excellent quality and natural nature. These fats are known as monounsaturated fats, and they are safe for human consumption.
Generally, such oils are safe for consumption, and it does not indicate any signs of spoilage or degradation due to the distribution of the spread.
It is only necessary that you make sure that you remix the peanuts and oil before you spread it. In this way, you will be able to end up with smooth, creamy peanut butter that is also easy to spread.
Is it OK to eat watery peanut butter?
Yes, it’s OK to eat watery peanut butter. If peanut butter is watery, it contains oils that make it creamy and rich.
During the grinding process of peanuts, certain oils are released derived from the peanuts themselves. As a result, peanuts in small amounts are entirely safe and healthy to eat.
Hence, you do not need to worry about eating watery peanut butter since it is entirely safe to consume.
Why is my peanut butter watery?
Your peanut butter is watery because the peanuts release natural oils when you ground them.
As a general rule, peanut butter is supposed to be watery and not hard and solid. In other words, if you have good peanut butter, you can pour it when you flip the bottle, and it will have a consistency that is similar to a thick sauce.
If your peanut butter is hard, then it means that it has artificial additives in it, so you should avoid it. In other words, you should always opt for homemade peanut butter that is all-natural.
How do you fix runny peanut butter?
Runny peanut butter doesn’t need fixing since that’s the consistency they should have. If you want to make it thicker, you can always do so by adding a bit more water or oil.
Another thing you can do is to let them chill for a while. This method should be enough to make the peanut butter a bit thicker.
If you want to add some water, note that it can make the spread a bit chalky. You can also use palm oil since it’s a good stabilizer and thickening agent for this spread.
Can I pour out the oil in peanut butter?
No, you should not pour out the oil in peanut butter. In general, the oil in peanut butter is a good indication that the product is natural.
As a rule of thumb, peanut butter should contain at least 90% peanuts, and the other 10% should be a mix of additives and flavors.
When you have 90% peanuts in your peanut butter, it should release a lot of oil that can help to make the consistency creamy and flowy. As a result, if the oil sets on top, you should mix it with the peanuts before spreading, rather than throwing it away.
Summary
In a nutshell, the liquid on top of your peanut butter is peanut oil. Thus, after leaving peanut butter for a while, the ground peanuts settle, and the oil rises to the top. As a result, the mixture is entirely safe to use, and you can spread them again once you mix it up.
Peanut butter’s liquid or watery texture may seem alarming, but it is entirely normal and a sign that your peanut butter is natural. Consequently, you should not remove the liquid from the peanut butter as it will make the peanut butter dry and hard. Instead, you should mix all the ingredients to ensure it is perfect for consumption.
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- Is Ground Pork the Same as Sausage?
- Can Rare Steak Make You Sick?
Resources
Image credits – Canva
