Keeping your cholesterol under control can be tough, especially when you’re not sure which foods are good for your heart and which should be off-limits. Fortunately for everyone who loves peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut butters, these creamy treats are fairly healthy. And as long as they don’t contain hydrogenated fat, nut butters — including peanut butter — won’t cause problems for your cholesterol levels.

Peanut butter and cholesterol

Many high-fat foods are also high in cholesterol — think bacon and full-fat cheese. But being high in fat doesn’t necessarily mean cholesterol will follow. As a matter of fact, we get cholesterol only from animal products. So, fatty plant foods such as nuts and avocados have virtually no cholesterol at all!

According to the American Heart Association, nuts are high in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some of them, like walnuts, are also a good source of omega-3 fats, which are great for your heart. So nut butters, including peanut butter, contain lots of nutrients and no cholesterol, making for a pretty heart-healthy snack.

Another bonus: The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in a 2002 study that women who consumed peanut butter more than five times per week had significantly reduced risks of type 2 diabetes compared to women who rarely ate peanut butter.