In my latest instalment of the Nut Butter Diaries, I am staying close to home with my review of ManiLife.
For those who haven’t heard of this brand (which is new on the scene), ManiLIfe produces a range of peanut butters where the USP, to use some marketing lingo, is the peanuts they use. ManiLife uses ‘hi-oleic’ peanuts from Argentina (one of the few places in the world they are grown). They possess a higher level of oleic acid (a monounsaturated fatty acid, aka a ‘good’ fat), which reduces LDL (bad cholesterol) and heightens HDL (good cholesterol).
The range consists of three varieties: Original Crunchy, Smooth, and Deep Roast Crunchy, and are available in regular 320g jars as well as 1kg ‘ManiMonster’ tubs for mega nut butter consumers like me.
So, let’s get to the point. These butters are not only good, they are bloody great – and I don’t dish out compliments easily. What distinguishes this range from many others out there is the boldness and richness of taste, with the palpable peanut taste shining through. While I absolutely love their Original Crunchy variety along with the Smooth one, the product that has literally wowed me and which I am going to focus on in this review is the Deep Roast.
Gosh, this is good! It is so different from any nut butter out there. Since the peanuts have been roasted longer, the taste is far more intense, rich and flavourful than any I’ve enjoyed before. Brimming with chunky morsels of Argentinian peanuts, the spread is delicately seasoned with sea salt, making for an unbelievable flavour combination. Whilst I tend to eat my Deep Roast by the loving spoonful, I can see how this would make a killer satay source too.
The macros for the Deep Roast (and the range as a whole) are pretty consistent with other nut butters in the market, but the differentiator here is that the fat content is better, with increased levels of monounsaturated fats. In terms of kcals you’re looking at 92 per 15g (4g protein, 1g carbs and 8g fat).
So where can you get your paws on ManiLife? I stumbled upon these bad boys last year, but they are still not that readily available. You can either buy them directly from ManiLife by visiting them online at https://mani-life.com, from one of their stockists listed online, or from proteinpickandmix.co.uk. Get online and get ordering – I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love just as quickly as I did.