What peanut butter brands use xylitol?

✅ Fact-Checked

As dog owners around the world know, dogs love peanut butter! Many vets use it as a suggested additive to convince your pooch to take his medicine. Often, owners add peanut butter to dog toys to give their dog some entertainment throughout the day.

In recent years, it has come to light that many peanut butter brands contain an ingredient called xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and will cause significant issues even in small amounts. Surely, no dog owner would knowingly subject their dogs to these toxins. However, your dog loves a peanut butter treat now and then. How are you to be certain that you are keeping him safe from harm?

Jif Peanut Butter is one of the leading names in the peanut butter industry. According to the official Jif website, Jif Peanut Butter does not contain any xylitol. Although, the company does not claim to be safe for dogs. They only recommend you speak to your veterinarian before giving your dog Jif Peanut Butter.

Below, we will break down all the details of xylitol, peanut butter, and what is safe to feed your dog.

Is Jif Peanut butter safe for dogs?

Let’s start with the generic concept of peanut butter. Is peanut butter safe for your dog? The short answer is yes, in moderation. Peanut is a wonderful treat for your dog in a kong or on a lick mat. However, it is just that — a treat. Peanut butter is high in fat.

Too much fat in your dog’s diet will cause weight issues and put him at a higher risk of pancreatitis. There are some breeds that are naturally prone to pancreatitis. Before adding peanut butter to your dog’s diet (even as a treat), speak with your veterinarian.

The official Jif website lists some frequently asked questions. This question is one of the highest ones on the list. However, the company does not make any claims to being safe for dogs.

One thing is certain, Jif is at least safe for your dog from the xylitol standpoint. Jif does not contain any xylitol.

While Jif is safe from xylitol, it is not all natural. Even their “natural” recipe contains added sweeteners. There is added sugar and oils in all varieties of Jif Peanut Butter. Both ingredients are unhealthy for your dog.

Jif Peanut Butter is safe for your dog, but it has other ingredients that should be avoided. If you want to feed your dog peanut butter as a treat or pill hider, it is advised to find a different brand of peanut butter.

What Is Xylitol?

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener derived from the birch tree. According to the veterinarian medicine department at NC State University, manufacturers add xylitol to gum, candy, and cookies. While it looks and tastes like sugar, it may cause mild intestinal issues. Furthermore, it is very poisonous to dogs.

Manufacturers are now adding xylitol to toothpaste, jellies, energy drinks, and beauty products. Be wary of products claiming to be sugar-free, especially if they seem like something that would need a sweetener.

Even though xylitol is toxic for your dog, Carolyn Pierini (a clinical laboratory specialist) states that xylitol is a significant change in the dental industry. Manufacturers have added it to many toothpastes and mouthwashes. It adds sweetness and even inhibits plaque.

Does Jif Peanut Butter Contain Xylitol?

Jif Peanut Butter does not contain xylitol. Jif has many varieties of peanut butter and all of them are clear of xylitol.

Which Peanut Butters Contain Xylitol? 

There are four major brands that add xylitol to their peanut butter. The four brands are:

1. Nuts N’ More
2. P28 High Protein Peanut Spread
3. Krush Nutrition’s “Nutty By Nature”
4. Go Nuts, Co. Peanut Butter

The FDA advises to always check the label before feeding your dog peanut butter.

What Happens If Dogs Eat Peanut Butter with Xylitol?

A dog’s body reacts differently to xylitol than humans. In fact, xylitol stimulates a dog’s pancreas. In a very short amount of time, your dog will become hypoglycemic from consuming xylitol.

Many owners do not see the signs until it is too late. Soon after consuming anything with xylitol, your dog will become lethargic, lose coordination, and have diarrhea. If they consume a large enough amount, your dog will suffer from seizures and may risk death.

What Are the Best Peanut Butters for Dogs? 

The best peanut butter for your dog is homemade! It is easy to find a recipe online. This method keeps your dog safe from any artificial sweeteners and avoids any unnecessary additives.

All things considered, as a good dog owner, use your judgement. Discuss with your veterinarian if she has any suggestions for brand names. You can also perform research and fully read labels.

Here are a few suggestions for brands that are perfectly safe if you do not want to make your own:

• Poochie Peanut Butter
• Teddie Super Chunky
• Adams Natural
• Trader Joes

Is Jif Peanut Butter Safe for Puppies?

Just like for an adult dog, Jif Peanut Butter is not the best choice for your puppy. While it is safe from xylitol, it contains too many added sugars and oils. In small amounts, it will not harm your dog, but there are many other better options on the market today.

Manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce product cost while keeping their taste. Xylitol was originally derived from birch trees, but can also be developed artificially. While it causes minor issues with humans, and even has some benefits, it is the opposite with dogs.

Xylitol poses a significant threat to your dog and is popping up in more and more products. Be aware of what you feed your dog. Always check the label and with your veterinarian before adding anything to your dog’s diet.

Peanut butter can be a safe treat for your dog. You will just need to be wary of certain brands. Many peanut butter brands have other ingredients that are not healthy for man’s best friend. All in all, if you keep your dog’s health and safety in mind, he will still get to enjoy a delicious treat.

Peanut butter is great as an occasional "high value" treat, it’s useful for hiding pills, and it can even be used to distract your dog while giving them a bath or trimming their nails.

While most peanut butter brands are safe for dogs, not all peanut butters are safe. 

Do Not Give Your Dog This Type of Peanut Butter

It’s no longer easy to say whether it’s safe to give even a small amount of peanut butter to your dog. And there's a one-word answer as to why... Xylitol!

Xylitol is an increasingly common sugar-replacement sweetener in hundreds of products, including some brands of peanut butter. It's an “all-natural” sugar substitute that’s fine for people, but it’s extremely poisonous to dogs and poisons thousands of dogs each year. We at Preventive Vet are happy to report that there has been an increase in awareness about xylitol – both in peanut butter and in the more than 700 other products xylitol is found in – and we have been able to influence some companies to change their labeling and warning practices.

Why Xylitol Is Dangerous to Dogs

Xylitol is a sweetener that's gaining in popularity because of its dental benefits for people and its suitability as a sugar substitute for people with diabetes. Yet thousands of dogs are accidentally poisoned by xylitol every year.

In fact, the toxic dose of xylitol in dogs is even less than chocolate! For example, as little as 1.37 grams of xylitol can cause a rapid drop in a dog’s blood sugar (“hypoglycemia”) and result in staggering, disorientation, collapse, and seizures in a 30-pound dog*.

If a dog of the same size ingested 6.8 grams, it could be enough to cause a debilitating and likely deadly destruction of the dog’s liver cells. Now consider that it would take about 22 times more (150 grams) of dark chocolate to result in the same level of severe toxicity.

Brands of Peanut Butter That Contain Xylitol and Are Not Safe for Dogs

There are still four known peanut/nut butter brands that contain xylitol (down from five brands), and more may spring up — so please read labels carefully.

When selecting a peanut butter or peanut-flavored spread, keep these xylitol-containing brands far away from your dog:

• Go Nuts, Co.
• Krush Nutrition (appears to no longer be in production)
• Nuts 'N More
• P28

The increasing popularity of xylitol as an ingredient in a growing number of products — including gums, mints, chewable vitamins, ice creams, common supplements, and many others — highlights the importance of reading ingredient labels, as well as the danger of assuming that what's safe for you, or even your kids, is also safe for your pets.

See our list of over 700 products that contain xylitol — many will surprise you!

What Type of Peanut Butter is Best for Dogs?

Generally speaking, any peanut butter that doesn’t contain xylitol (or chocolate) should be fine for a dog. It can be a good source of protein and healthy fat for your dog — in moderation, of course. However, some peanut butters are healthier than others.

A lot of peanut butter you find on the shelves has good qualities when it comes to your dog, but probably contains preservatives and extra sugar that aren’t great. Your best bet is to find peanut butter (or other nut butter) that is low on or completely free of additives.

This peanut butter made by Crazy Richard's (or this one by CB's Nuts) lists just one ingredient: peanuts. If your grocery store has a natural foods section, look for a peanut grinder so you can take home one ingredient peanut butter.

Crazy Richard's All Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

CB's Nuts Organic Peanut Butter

And read labels and ingredient lists carefully — don't assume that "all-natural" or "no artificial sweeteners" on the front label means it'll be safe for your dog. Xylitol is technically an "all-natural" sweetener!

If you have a decent blender or food processor, you can easily make your own peanut and nut butter at home! It will be healthier for your dog and they won’t know the difference.

Note: While almonds, and just about any nut, can cause digestive upset, including pancreatitis, in dogs, contrary to what you may have read elsewhere on the Internet, regular (sweet) almonds, the type that are most common are not toxic to dogs.

Now, bitter almonds, which can sometimes be found in health food stores, can certainly be toxic. So be sure to stick with sweet almonds when making this almond butter recipe and your dog (and you) should be just fine.

How Much Peanut Butter is OK for Dogs?

So you need to be careful how much peanut butter you give your dog — or any treat for that matter. The rule of thumb is to give no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories in treats.

The exact amount of peanut butter will vary from dog to dog and from peanut butter to peanut butter (check the caloric count on the label). Generally speaking, small dogs should get no more than about 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter per day and larger dogs should get no more than about 1 tablespoon. You can find a more detailed breakdown in “Is Peanut Butter Good for Dogs?”

PRO TIP: In dogs with chronic pancreatitis or those at increased risk for developing acute or chronic pancreatitis – like Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers – even a very small amount of a high-fat treat like peanut butter may be enough to bring on or worsen their pancreatitis and should be avoided completely.

Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter for Dogs?

You may have read that crunchy peanut butter can be a choking hazard for dogs. This is pretty unlikely unless you’re giving a very small dog a very large amount of crunchy peanut butter.

But as you learned in the section above, even a decent-sized dog should only be allowed about a tablespoon of peanut butter per day, so it’s unlikely you’ll give enough at any one time to present a choking hazard.

So go ahead and give your dog whichever peanut butter — creamy, crunchy, super crunchy, or any other variation — you have. Creamy peanut butter tends to be easier to smear if you plan to use it to distract your dog during a bath (you can smear peanut butter on the bathtub or shower wall to distract your pooch) or while trimming their nails (you can smear peanut butter on a plate so your dog will be so busy licking that they won’t notice or care that you're cutting their nails).

Is Peanut Butter and Jelly OK for Dogs?

Peanut butter is one thing, but jelly should be off-limits to your dog. Why? First, there’s a lot of sugar in jam, jelly, and preserves — if you’re already giving your dog peanut butter, adding extra sugar will further increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. Second, some jelly contains dog-dangerous xylitol. Third, some types of jelly are made from fruits that you shouldn’t give your dog.

For example, while strawberry jelly may not be toxic to dogs, grape jelly can be. Grapes are poisonous to some dogs and can cause acute kidney failure. The same goes for raisins and currants.

Either way, it's best to hold the jelly and jam when it comes to treating your dog.

Can Dogs Be Allergic to Peanuts?

Unlike some humans, dogs do not appear to have an allergic reaction to peanuts. I’m not aware of any documented cases of allergic or anaphylactic reactions to peanuts in dogs, nor to other nuts or seeds for that matter. But that doesn’t completely rule out the possibility.

So, if it’s your dog’s first (or second) time having peanut butter, or another nut butter, and you’re concerned, give them just a small amount to start (like a lick off the tip of your finger) and keep an eye on them.

Concerning signs to watch for are listed below. As long as you don’t see any of these signs within about an hour, you’re likely OK.

• Signs of an acute allergic reaction (severe) in dogs:
  • Hives or small areas of swelling on their body
  • Swelling around their eyes and/or muzzle
  • Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Collapse
  • Severe itchiness
• Signs of a chronic food allergy (mild to moderate) in dogs:
  • Chronic/recurrent ear infections
  • Thin fur coat
  • Chronic itchiness and/or chewing of their paws
  • Recurrent problems with impacted anal glands

Companies That Have Removed Xylitol From Their Products

We will continue to reach out to companies that use xylitol to discuss this dog hazard and try to get formula changes or, at least, increased awareness on their product packaging and websites.

Below is a summary of the successes so far in getting brands to remove xylitol from their products or do a better job of notifying pet owners about the potential dangers.

Update (April 2018): The list of peanut and nut butters that contain xylitol is back UP TO FIVE!

On April 12, 2018, we received a xylitol product alert submission from a pet lover who brought a company called No Cow (previously called D's Naturals) to our attention. Their Fluffbutter spreads contain xylitol – so please be sure to keep them far away from your dogs and help spread the word.

Update (August 2017): The list of peanut and nut butters that contain xylitol is now DOWN TO FOUR!

On August 3, 2017, we received a message from Hank Capasso, of Hank’s Protein Plus Nut Spreads, announcing that he had taken the wonderful step of removing xylitol from his company’s peanut and other nut butters.

“I have always been an animal lover, never to the extent of being an advocate for the rights of animals, until recently,” Hank wrote in the closing of that letter. “In doing my research and in making myself open to their rights, it only makes sense. Why put them in danger, and why would we hurt the ones that we love?”

We have checked their labels to confirm that their nut butters no longer contain xylitol and have removed them from our list of xylitol-containing products. We’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to Hank and the rest of the team at Hank’s Protein Plus Nut Spreads for taking this fantastic step toward protecting dogs from the dangers of xylitol.

Update (August 2015): We have been in discussions with Nuts ’N More and they have agreed to take some good initial steps to improve awareness of the hazard that xylitol poses to dogs. They have added a new warning about the dangers of xylitol to dogs in the "What Is Xylitol?" section of their FAQ page (though note that there truly is no “maybe” about it, xylitol IS dangerous to dogs).