Is Peanut Butter a Condiment? The Great Debate

You are conversing with your friend about condiments: Pickles, Ketchup, and Peanut Butter. Your friend starts laughing. Is peanut butter a condiment?

This makes you shocked and angry at the same time. He says Peanut Butter is not a condiment. You are like, What?

You might not be in a similar situation. This thought might come to your mind somehow, or somebody asked you. Whatever it could be, it’s time to settle this confusion once and for all.

Is Peanut Butter a Condiment? First, we will look at Condiments, Spreads, and Sauces. Then, could you move forward to find their similarities and differences? Finally, we look at some recommendations and sum it up.

1. Condiments

Is Peanut Butter a Condiment?

1.1) Meaning

Condiments are a mixture of spices, fruits, vegetables, and oils.

– A typical quality of popular condiments is salty and spicy.

– Another quality is that they are eaten in small quantities.

1.2) How to Spot Condiments?

1. Salt:
   As mentioned earlier, salt is often added to condiments to enhance flavour.
2. Sugar:
   Sugar is also added to condiments. It is also used to nullify the effect of too many spices.
3. Oil:
   Oil is used to make the condiment more liquid. Common oils used include vegetable oil, olive oil, and palm oil. It serves more purpose than to make it fluid. It is used to make the mixture durable.
4. Spices:
   Although there are spices in Asian countries’ condiments, you can also expect that in Western condiments. In Western fast foods like French fries, chicken nuggets, popcorn, sandwiches, and spices such as garlic, onion, and pepper.
5. Mustard:
   Mustard is a prevalent ingredient in many condiments.

1.3) Pickle

Pickles are made by fermenting fruits or vegetables. In vinegar or brine for some time in a jar. It is an integral part of Indian cuisine. Add two tablespoons of pickle in the cooking process and make savoury recipes.

They can be used in the cooking process. They have health benefits.

2. Spreads

2.1) Meaning

Spreads tend to be a mixture of various ingredients.

Now you will say spread is also a mixture like condiments, then how to spot Spreads? These mixtures can be thicker in texture because of the nuts. They are mostly eaten as complementary to something.

When you apply peanut butter, ketchup, or mayonnaise to the bread, you are not adding flavour or making your food more eatable but simply preparing the dish.

2.2) Is Peanut Butter a Condiment?: Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter is a paste of roasted peanuts. This makes peanut butter classified with a crunchy texture.

The added sugar makes peanut butter thick.

We can find various types of peanut butter, like natural peanut butter, Spicy peanut butter, and Classic peanut butter.

• One thing to remember is that there is no plain butter in Peanut Butter. Just because it looks like butter, it is called peanut butter or maybe something, but there is no butter.
• When discussing Peanut Butter, we use it as a spread by applying it on the entire surface of the bread, roti, or whatever you eat.
• We do not add it to any dish to enhance its quality nor dip fries, sandwiches, or momos into it. Of course, some people may do it. But, usually, it is not done.

We also find different types of peanuts, like crunchy peanuts, raw peanuts, and ground peanuts—also, peanut sauce and Reese’s peanut butter cups.

3. Sauces

Consistency and usage always determine whether the sauce can be considered both spreads and condiments.

They are typically added to other items, such as turkey sandwiches, jelly sandwiches, Thai-inspired salads, goat cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, and fries, to add flavour and nutritional benefits to different recipes.

Some sauces can be both a spread and a condiment, depending on their use.

For example, in Western countries, people like to have mayonnaise as a spread on bread or a condiment on a burger, which is their choice. Some eat eggs with hot sauce.

One of the best brands to recommend is Bauce Brothers.

How it is used, and the context in which it is being served will tell you whether to classify a sauce as a spread or a condiment.

4. Similarities between Condiments and Spreads

• People think that both are the same things, which is wrong because-
• Firstly, Peanut butter is kept on the same shelf as condiments.
• Secondly, they come in the same kind of containers and quantities.
• Finally, some people eat Peanut Butter condiments in small quantities, while others eat large amounts.
• All this makes it difficult for them to differentiate.

5. Is Peanut Butter a Condiment?: Differences

First of all, in the grocery store or a departmental store, there is a section called Condiments and Spreads because they are different things.

Condiments are added to another food group and play a secondary role in that dish. Whereas. Spread plays a primary role in the world they are part of.

You will mostly find other spreads to be sweet. Condiments come in various tastes, such as sweet, salty, sour, or spicy.

This emphasizes that Peanut butter is not a condiment.

6. Recommendations

If you’d like to know in which category the particular item lies, you can go to a departmental store nearby or an online grocery store. You will find each item in their specific category.

USDA recommends eating more protein content and protein food and avoiding other foods. Fruit preservatives add flavour to the recipes but are harmful. A spoonful of peanuts with medium grind can be a healthy choice.

7. In Short: Is Peanut Butter a Condiment?

Based on the definitions, heads-ups, and uses of condiments versus spreads, peanut butter is considered a spread rather than a condiment.

Finally, the reasoning to justify the claim is sufficient to classify it as a spread rather than a condiment.

This article tried to explain why Peanut butter is not a condiment.

Hope you like it!

Check out: What are Peanut Butter Nutrition Facts: A Complete Guide [2022]

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