What You Need To Know About Sam's Club Member's Mark Peanut Butter

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Peanut butter is generally considered to be a wholesome food, especially it's billed as natural. Not all such products are created equal, however, as illustrated by the Member's Mark Natural Creamy Peanut Butter found at Sam's Club. In our list of the unhealthiest peanut butter brands, Sam's Club was singled out for using palm oil in the recipe.

Palm oil can be found in a litany of products, from nut butters and margarine to prepared foods and baked goods. While praised for its antioxidant qualities, which can potentially lower one's disease risk, palm oil contains high levels of saturated fat. It also carries an environmental cost. High demand for the ingredient has led to massive deforestation, causing environmental researchers to call for intervention.

When reading a food label, the order of ingredients matters a great deal. They are listed from highest to lowest quantity by weight. Natural peanut butter should have few ingredients, and top brands consist of nothing more than peanuts. On the other hand, Member's Mark Natural Creamy Peanut Butter features palm oil in third place right after sugar and before sea salt.

Sam's Club's natural peanut butter is undeniably affordable, as a two-pack of 40-ounce containers retails for just $7.78 (though this may vary by store). However, the adage "you get what you pay for" certainly applies here. Let's compare the Member's Mark product to Smucker's Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, which is priced at $7.79 for a single 26-ounce jar at a local Giant Eagle. According to the label, Smucker's is made with peanuts alone and has a salt content of 1% or less. That makes it a superior product where ingredients are concerned, but what about consistency?

Member's Mark natural peanut butter proudly declares "no stir" on the label. For all the downsides of palm oil, the inclusion of it and similar stabilizers stop the oils and solids from separating. Without these stabilizers, the product must be stirred prior to using it. In this case, using a knife is effective at creating a creamy consistency. And when it comes to the proper storage of natural peanut butter, it's best to place jars upside down. Upon flipping the jar upright, the oils and solids should reconstitute nicely, particularly if you're flipping the jar on a regular basis.