Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter - RAWGORILLA

Try this healthy recipe for Halloween! Delicious cookies with almonds as fingernails. They are vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, refined sugar-free, paleo friendly and spooky!

This elegant autumn salad features a delightful combination of soft mixed leaves, sweet fresh figs, toasted walnuts, and creamy goat's cheese, all brought together with a honey-balsamic dressing. Perfect for a light meal or as a stunning side dish, it’s both vegetarian and gluten-free.

Healthy and delicious almond 'cheese' on toast with radish and green peas.

This creamy and delicious spread can be enjoyed with crackers, fresh veggies, and toasts.

Super tasty and healthy seasonal salad made with fresh ingredients that can be enjoyed for lunch and dinner.

In the world of health and nutrition, the "Organic" label is often treated as a magic wand. We are told that organic is always better, always safer, and always worth the premium price tag. But at Whole Food Earth, we prefer honesty over marketing slogans. The truth is more nuanced. 1. What Does "Organic" Actually Guarantee? To understand the value, we first have to strip away the myths. In the UK, organic certification strictly regulates how a food is grown and processed. No Synthetic Pesticides: This is the big one. Organic farming prohibits the use of most synthetic herbicides (like glyphosate) and pesticides. No Artificial Fertilisers: Instead of chemical sprays, organic farmers use compost, manure, and crop rotation to feed the soil. Non-GMO: Organic standards strictly forbid the use of Genetically Modified Organisms. No "Stealth" Additives: Organic processing bans the use of controversial additives like Sulphur Dioxide (E220)—the chemical used to bleach conventional dried fruits. 2. When Organic Truly Matters (The "High-Impact" Foods) If you are looking to prioritise your organic budget, focus on foods that are "high-absorption" or heavily sprayed in conventional farming. The "Sulphur" Factor in Dried Fruits This is where Whole Food Earth takes a stand. Conventional dried fruits—like apricots and figs—are almost always treated with sulphur to keep them bright and "pretty." Organic certification bans this. When you buy our Organic Sun-Dried Figs, you are getting fruit cured by the sun, free from the respiratory irritants found in sulphured alternatives. Cacao and Superfoods Products like Organic Cacao Powder and Maca Powder are often grown in delicate ecosystems. Organic sourcing here isn't just about your health; it’s about the soil. Organic cacao farming encourages agroforestry (growing trees among other plants), which protects tropical biodiversity and ensures the beans aren't soaking up synthetic fertilisers. 3. When the Label Isn't Everything Is conventional food "poison"? No. And is organic food always "perfect"? Not necessarily. Here is the balanced view: The "Small Farmer" Gap: Many incredible traditional farmers in regions like Portugal or Turkey follow organic principles—they use no chemicals and dry their fruit in the sun—but they cannot afford the expensive paperwork for "Official Certification." At Whole Food Earth, our "Sourcing Revolution" involves finding these high-integrity "conventional" gems that are as clean as organic but more accessible in price. Nutritional Density: Science is still debating whether an organic apple has significantly more Vitamin C than a conventional one. The real difference is often in the Phytochemicals—plants grown without pesticides often develop stronger natural antioxidants to protect themselves. The "Processed" Trap: An organic biscuit is still a biscuit. Don't let the organic label distract you from the ingredient list. Unprocessed is always a higher priority than Organic. 4. The Environmental Impact: Soil is Soul The real reason to go organic often has nothing to do with the calorie count. It’s about Soil Health. Conventional farming can lead to soil depletion, where the earth becomes a sterile medium that only grows food because it's being "fed" chemicals. Organic farming treats the soil as a living organism. Healthy soil traps more carbon, holds more water, and produces food with a more complex "Terroir"—that deep, earthy flavour you can actually taste in our Organic Cacao Liquor Buttons. 5. How to Shop Smart at Whole Food Earth We provide both Organic and high-quality Conventional options because we believe in informed choice. Go Organic for: Leafy superfood powders, cacao, and any dried fruit where you want to avoid sulphur (E220). Go Conventional for: Items with thick natural skins or products from our trusted traditional growers. The Verdict: Integrity Over Labels At the end of the day, the best diet is one built on Whole, Unprocessed Foods. Whether it carries an organic seal or is a meticulously vetted conventional product from our shop, the goal is the same: getting you closer to the earth and further from the factory. Explore our full range of Organic and Natural staples today and decide what matters most for your kitchen.

Nut butter should be one of the simplest foods in the shop: nuts, blended into a jar. Yet walk down the aisle and you will find jars bulked out with palm oil, sweetened with sugar and stiffened with additives. Learning to read the label is the difference between a genuinely good, wholesome nut butter and a processed spread pretending to be one. Here is exactly what to look for. Check the ingredients first The single most useful habit is to turn the jar around and read the ingredients before anything else. The best nut butters have just one: nuts. That is it. A truly good peanut butter, for example, should list only peanuts, ideally at 100%. The shorter the list, the closer you are to real, honest nut butter. If the list runs to several lines, that is your first warning sign. What you don't want to see A few common additives are worth avoiding, and knowing why helps. Palm oil and other vegetable oils are added to stop the natural oils separating and to create an artificially smooth, stable texture. They bulk out the jar cheaply and bring environmental concerns with palm oil in particular. Added sugar turns a savoury, nutritious food into something closer to a sweet spread, and it is surprisingly common even in "natural" looking jars. Added salt is often included in larger amounts than you would choose yourself. And emulsifiers and stabilisers are there purely to alter texture and shelf life, not to make the butter better. None of these belongs in a simple, quality nut butter. Why natural oil separation is a good sign Here is something that puts people off unnecessarily. In a real, additive-free nut butter, a layer of natural oil often rises to the top of the jar. Many assume this means the product has gone wrong, when in fact it is the opposite: it is proof that nothing has been added to hold it artificially together. All you need to do is give it a good stir before use. If a nut butter never separates, it usually means stabilising oils have been added to stop it. A little separation is a badge of honesty. Why stone-ground and artisanal matters How a nut butter is made affects both flavour and quality. Stone-ground nut butters are milled slowly between stones, which keeps the temperature down and preserves the natural flavour and character of the nuts. The result is a richer, more rounded taste and a texture that feels like real ground nuts rather than a slick, uniform paste. Artisanal, small-batch production tends to mean more care over the nuts themselves and less reliance on shortcuts and additives. In short, better methods make better butter. A benchmark to look for If you want a simple example of what good looks like, our RAWGORILLA Organic Smooth Peanut Butter and Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter tick every box on this list. They are made from 100% organic peanuts and nothing else, stone-ground the traditional way, with no palm oil, no added sugar, no added salt and no emulsifiers. They will separate a little, because there is nothing artificial holding them together, and they come in a generous 1kg jar for proper value. That is the standard worth measuring any nut butter against. How to store and use natural nut butter Because good nut butter contains only nuts, a few simple habits keep it at its best. Give it a thorough stir when you first open it to mix the natural oils back through. Store it in a cool cupboard, or in the fridge if you prefer a firmer texture and want to extend its life, though chilling makes it harder to spread. Beyond toast, use it in smoothies, satay sauces, porridge, baking, energy balls and dressings, where its pure nutty flavour really shines. The bottom line Choosing the best nut butter comes down to one simple rule: read the label and look for just nuts. Avoid palm oil, added sugar, salt and emulsifiers, welcome a little natural oil separation, and favour stone-ground, artisanal jars made with care. Do that, and every spoonful will be exactly what nut butter should be, real food and nothing else.

There are few kitchen disappointments quite like reaching for a handful of nuts and getting that sharp, bitter, slightly paint-like taste of rancidity. Nuts are not cheap, so throwing away a spoiled bag is a real waste of money as well as good food. The good news is that keeping nuts fresh is easy once you understand why they turn in the first place. Here are our best, practical tips for storing nuts so they stay fresh far longer. Why do nuts go rancid? Nuts are rich in natural oils, and those oils are mostly unsaturated fats. This is great news for your health, but it is exactly what makes nuts prone to spoiling. When unsaturated fats are exposed to oxygen, they slowly oxidise, and it is this oxidation that produces the stale, bitter, off flavour we call rancidity. Three things speed the process up: oxygen, heat and light. Moisture is the fourth enemy, because damp nuts can grow mould as well as spoil. This also explains why some nuts keep better than others. Nuts especially high in delicate polyunsaturated fats, such as walnuts, pecans and pine nuts, tend to turn fastest. Nuts with more stable fats, like almonds and cashews, generally last a little longer. Whatever the type, the aim of good storage is simple: keep oxygen, heat, light and moisture away for as long as possible. How to tell if a nut has gone off Your nose is the best test. Fresh nuts smell mild, sweet and buttery. Rancid ones smell sharp and bitter, a bit like old cooking oil, crayons or paint. The taste is unmistakably bitter and unpleasant. Rancid nuts are not usually dangerous, but they taste horrible and the oxidation degrades some of their nutrients, so it is best to throw them away rather than push through. If in doubt, give them a sniff before you use them. The golden rules of storing nuts Keeping nuts fresh comes down to a handful of simple habits. Use an airtight container. The less contact nuts have with air, the slower they oxidise. Transfer opened bags into a glass jar (the best option!) rather than leaving them clipped shut and half open. This one change alone makes a noticeable difference. Keep them cool and dark. Heat and light both accelerate spoilage, so store nuts in a cupboard away from the oven, the hob and any sunny windowsill. A cool, dark cupboard is the bare minimum, and cooler is always better. Keep them dry. Moisture invites mould, so make sure containers are completely dry before you fill them, and never store nuts somewhere steamy like above a kettle. Use the fridge and freezer. This is the single most effective tip. Nuts store beautifully in the cold, which dramatically slows the oxidation of their oils. The fridge is ideal for nuts you will get through over a few months, while the freezer is perfect for longer storage or for bulk buys. Nuts freeze well, do not need defrosting before use, and can keep for a year or more this way. Just seal them well to keep out moisture and fridge or freezer odours. Buy whole where you can. The more a nut is broken down, the more surface area is exposed to air, so chopped, flaked and especially ground nuts and nut flours go rancid faster than whole ones. If you buy nuts whole and chop or grind them as needed, they will keep far longer. Smart habits for bulk buyers Buying nuts in larger bags is the best way to get good value, and it works perfectly well as long as you store them sensibly. The trick is not to keep dipping into one big open bag over months, letting air in every time. Instead, decant your bulk nuts into smaller airtight portions, keep one out for everyday use, and store the rest sealed in the fridge or freezer. It is also worth labelling containers with the date so you can use older stock first. This approach means you can stock up on quality nuts without any worry. Our Organic Brazil Nuts come in a generous 1kg bag, and storing most of the bag in the freezer keeps them tasting freshly harvested for months. The same goes for more delicate nuts like our Organic Walnut Halves, which, being higher in fragile fats, especially benefit from a spell in the fridge or freezer. How long do nuts actually keep? Exact times vary by type, but as a rough guide, most raw nuts kept in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard will stay good for a few months. Move them to the fridge and you can often extend that to around six months or more. In the freezer, many nuts will keep for a year or beyond. Nuts still in their shells last longest of all, because the shell is a natural barrier against air and light. Always trust your nose over the calendar, though: a quick sniff tells you far more than a date ever will. Fresh nuts, every time Storing nuts well is genuinely simple. Keep them airtight, cool, dark and dry, lean on your fridge and freezer, buy whole where you can, and portion up your bulk bags rather than leaving them open to the air. Do that, and you will get the full flavour, goodness and value out of every nut, with none of that bitter, rancid disappointment. Stock up with confidence, and store smart.

Nuts are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, but they are rarely cheap. Weigh a handful of almonds or Brazil nuts against a bag of crisps and the price gap is obvious. There are good reasons for it, and none of them is simply greed. From slow-growing trees to thirsty crops and difficult harvests, here is an evidence-based look at why nuts cost what they do. Nut trees take years to pay off Unlike a field of wheat that is sown and harvested within a year, most nuts grow on trees that take several years to mature before they produce a worthwhile crop. That long lead time makes supply slow to respond to demand. If prices rise, a grower cannot simply plant more and cash in next season, they face years of waiting and investment first. This lag keeps supply tight and prices firm, especially when demand for nuts is growing as more people eat them for their health. Some nuts are extremely thirsty Water is a major hidden cost. Almonds are the classic example: they are grown heavily in California, a region repeatedly hit by drought, and they need a lot of water to produce each kernel. When water is scarce or expensive, the cost of growing feeds straight through into the price. Concentrating so much of the world's supply of a nut in one climate-vulnerable region also means a single bad season can move global prices. Harvesting and shelling can be hard, manual work Getting the edible kernel out is often far more involved than it looks. Cashews are a striking case. They grow attached to the cashew apple, and their shells contain a caustic irritant, so shelling is delicate, often manual work that has to be done carefully. That labour is a big part of why cashews cost what they do. Across many nuts, harvesting, sorting, drying and grading all add cost before the nut ever reaches a shelf. Some nuts cannot really be farmed at all Brazil nuts are perhaps the best example of why nuts can be expensive. They come almost entirely from wild trees in the Amazon rainforest, not from plantations. The trees rely on specific pollinators and on rainforest wildlife to spread their seeds, which means they resist being grown in neat, farmed rows. Brazil nuts are therefore gathered from the wild, by hand, across vast areas of forest. Their price reflects that genuinely limited, labour-intensive supply, and it is tied to the health of the rainforest itself. If you would like to try some, our Organic Brazil Nuts are wild-harvested in Bolivia and sold in a 1kg bag, which works out far better value per kilo than small snack packs. Storage, transport and waste all add up Nuts are rich in natural oils, which makes them prone to going rancid if they are not stored and transported carefully. Keeping them fresh means careful handling, good packaging and sometimes temperature control, all of which cost money. Add in the long distances most nuts travel from where they grow to where they are eaten, and the price climbs further. How to get better value from nuts Because nuts keep reasonably well when stored properly, buying them in larger quantities is usually the single best way to save. A big bag almost always works out cheaper per kilo than repeated small packs, and you can decant what you need and keep the rest sealed in a cool, dark place, or even in the freezer to extend its life. Choosing broken or pieces rather than perfect whole kernels is another easy saving when you are baking or chopping them anyway. Honest reasons to be expensive Nuts are expensive for honest reasons: slow-growing trees, thirsty crops, labour-heavy harvesting and, in the case of Brazil nuts, a supply that comes straight from the wild. Understanding that makes the price easier to accept, and buying in bulk from a transparent source is the simplest way to enjoy them for less.

Switching away from Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) doesn't mean you need to become a full-time chef. The secret to a healthy, whole-food lunchbox is assembly, not just cookery. At Whole Food Earth, we've simplified the process into a 5-step checklist. If you have these staples in your cupboard (bought in bulk to save you time and money), you can build a balanced, nutrient-dense lunch in under five minutes. The 5-Step Lunchbox Checklist 1. The "Slow-Release" Base (The Main) Avoid white, processed breads that lead to afternoon energy crashes. The 5-Minute Move: A whole-wheat wrap or pitta stuffed with Whole Food Earth Organic Chickpeas (mashed with a little avocado or Greek yoghurt) for a "quick coronation" filling. The Pro Move: Keep a batch of cooked Organic Quinoa or Whole-wheat Pasta in the fridge to toss with olive oil and seeds in 60 seconds. 2. The "Crunch" (The Veg) Vegetables provide the essential fibre that processed snacks lack. The 5-Minute Move: Slice cucumber, peppers, or carrots into "dippers." The Pro Move: Add a small pot of hummus or nut-free seed butter for dipping. 3. The "Natural Sweet" (The Fruit) Swap the "fruit gummies" (which are often just sugar and thickeners) for real fruit. The 5-Minute Move: An apple, a handful of grapes, or a satsuma. The Pro Move: Pack a few of our Organic Medjool Dates or Dried Apricots. They provide the "candy" hit kids love but with the fibre that prevents a sugar spike. 4. The "Brain Fuel" (The Snack) This is where you replace the processed crisps or cereal bars. The 5-Minute Move: A small handful of Pumpkin Seeds or Sunflower Seeds (perfect for nut-free schools). The Pro Move: DIY "Energy Balls." Spend 10 minutes on Sunday blitzing Organic Oats, dates, and a splash of water, then roll into balls. They last all week in the fridge. 5. The Hydration The Only Move: Water. If your child finds it boring, add a few Organic Goji Berries or a slice of lemon to the bottle for a natural, sugar-free "infusion." 3 Whole-Food Lunchbox Hacks for Busy Mornings The "Pre-Prep" Jar: Use our glass storage jars to keep pre-chopped veg or pre-washed berries. It makes "grabbing and packing" a 10-second task. Bulk is Best: Don't buy individual snack packs. Buy your Organic Roasted Chickpeas or Raw Nuts in our 1kg or 2kg bags. It's cheaper, reduces plastic waste, and ensures you never run out mid-week. Check the Nut Policy: Many UK schools are nut-free. If yours is, swap almond butter for Sunflower Seed Butter and use seeds instead of nuts in your home bakes. The Whole Food Earth Promise: Accuracy at Your Door We know that when you're managing a household, you need reliability. Whether you are ordering a 1kg bag of Organic Porridge Oats for the week's breakfasts or a bulk bag of seeds for the term, we don't leave anything to chance. Every order is verified at our dispatch station. Our team ensures that you receive exactly what you paid for, so your "bulk-buy" budget goes further. In a world of shrinking portions and rising costs, we provide a weight-verified guarantee of value and quality. Ready to stock your lunchbox station? From the raw staples to the healthy snacks, find everything you need to fuel their day. Shop Healthy Snacks Browse Our Organic Range

Why Your Morning Snack Determines Your Afternoon Energy We've all experienced the dreaded 3:00 PM slump. You've had a decent lunch, yet an hour later, your eyelids feel like lead weights, and your brain is sending urgent signals that only a sugary latte or a vending-machine chocolate bar can solve. Most people look at their lunch and wonder what went wrong. But according to metabolic science, the reason might not be your lunch at all. It might be your lack of a "primer" earlier in the day. Enter the "Second Meal Effect" — a fascinating biological phenomenon that proves your body has a much longer memory than we realise. What Exactly is the Second Meal Effect? First identified by Dr. David Jenkins (the creator of the Glycemic Index), the Second Meal Effect (SME) describes the ability of a first meal to dictate how your body handles the sugar (glucose) in a subsequent meal. Think of your metabolism like a furnace. If you throw a bunch of paper in first thing in the morning, it flares up and dies out instantly, leaving the furnace cold and inefficient for the next log. But if you start with the right kind of fuel, the furnace stays at a steady, efficient temperature all day long. The Bottom Line: What you eat for breakfast (or your mid-morning snack) creates a "metabolic buffer" that protects you from blood sugar spikes during lunch and even dinner. Why Nuts are the MVPs of Blood Sugar Control Nuts are perhaps the most effective "primers" for the Second Meal Effect. They aren't just convenient; they are a complex package of three specific components that work in synergy to stabilise your system. 1. The Power of "Slow-Motion" Digestion Nuts are rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats slow down gastric emptying — the speed at which food leaves your stomach. When you pair nuts with a carbohydrate (like fruit or oatmeal), the nuts act as a "brake," ensuring the sugar enters your bloodstream as a slow trickle rather than a sudden flood. 2. The Fibre-Fermentation Connection This is where the science gets really cool. Nuts contain significant amounts of fibre that your body can't digest, but your gut bacteria can. When these bacteria "feast" on nut fibre in your lower digestive tract, they produce Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) like butyrate and propionate. These SCFAs enter your bloodstream and signal your liver to produce less glucose and your cells to become more insulin-sensitive. This process takes hours, which is exactly why a morning handful of walnuts helps you handle the carbs in your afternoon sandwich. 3. Natural GLP-1 Stimulation You may have heard of GLP-1 in the news lately regarding weight-loss medications. GLP-1 is a hormone your body produces naturally to tell your brain you're full and your pancreas to release insulin. The protein and healthy fats in nuts are potent natural stimulators of GLP-1, helping you feel satisfied long after the snack is gone. Which Nuts Should You Choose? While all nuts offer benefits, some have specific "superpowers" for blood sugar management: Almonds: Exceptionally high in magnesium, a mineral that many people are deficient in. Magnesium plays a direct role in helping your cells "unlock" to let blood sugar in for energy. Walnuts: The kings of omega-3 fatty acids. They help reduce systemic inflammation, which is often a hidden cause of insulin resistance. Pistachios: Research has shown that eating pistachios can specifically lower fasting blood sugar and improve insulin processing in people with pre-diabetes. How to Apply the Science To take advantage of the Second Meal Effect, you don't need to change your entire diet. You just need to be strategic: The "Handful" Rule: Aim for about 30g to 50g of mixed nuts daily. Pre-Load Your Carbs: If you know you're going to have a high-carb lunch (like pasta or a wrap), eat a small handful of nuts 30 minutes before. Upgrade Your Breakfast: Don't eat "naked" carbs. If you're having oatmeal or toast, top it with almond butter or crushed walnuts to activate that metabolic buffer early. The "Second Meal Effect" proves that healthy eating isn't just about calorie counting — it's about chemistry. By choosing nuts as your primary snack, you aren't just eating for now; you're setting your body up for a stable, energised, and slump-free afternoon.