Is peanut butter good for you?
Peanut butter is a firm favorite among adults and children alike. Although tasty, many people wonder about the health benefits of peanut butter.
Peanuts and peanut butter contain nutrients that may boost a person’s heart health and improve blood sugar levels.
Depending on how people use peanut butter in their diet, it can help them lose weight, or put-on pounds during weight training or bodybuilding.
However, peanut butter is high in calories and fat, so people should enjoy it in moderation.
Here we look at the benefits of eating peanut butter and explain the risks associated with consuming it.
Nutritional benefits of peanut butter
Peanut butter is a good source of protein and vitamin B-6.
Peanut butter provides a good amount of protein, along with essential vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
Most notably, each 2-tablespoon (tbsp) serving of smooth peanut butter provides the following nutrients, minerals, and vitamins:
• Protein-Peanut butter contains 7.02 grams
• Magnesium 57 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, each serving helps towards the Magnesium is essential for health, playing a role in over 300 chemical processes in the body.
• Phosphorous. 107 mg of phosphorus, Phosphorus helps the body to build healthy cells and bones and helps cells to produce energy.
• Zinc. A serving of peanut butter provides 0.85 mg of zinc. Zinc is necessary for immunity, protein synthesis, and DNA formation.
• Niacin. Peanut butter contains 4.21 mg of niacin per serving. Niacin benefits digestion and nerve function and helps produce energy.
• Vitamin B-6. With 0.17 g of vitamin B-6 per serving, Vitamin B-6 plays a role in over 100 enzyme reactions in the body and may be necessary for heart and immune system health.
However, there are also nutritional disadvantages if a person eats more than the recommended amount of peanut butter.
Peanut butter is high in calories, saturated fats, and sodium.
Each serving contains 3.05 g of saturated fats,
It also contains 152 mg of sodium (salt).
Health benefits of peanut butter
Eating peanut butter in moderation and as part of an overall healthful diet may provide the following benefits:
1. Weight loss
Several studies suggest that eating peanuts and other nuts can help people maintain their weight, or even help with weight loss.
This may be because peanuts improve satiety, which is the feeling of fullness, thanks to their protein, fat, and fibre content.
2. Boosting heart health
Peanut butter contains many nutrients that can improve heart health, including:
• monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)
• polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
• niacin
• magnesium
• vitamin E
The proportion of unsaturated fats (PUFAs and MUFAs) to saturated fats in the diet plays a particularly important role in heart health. Peanut butter has a similar ratio to olive oil — which is also known as a heart-healthy option.
A high intake of nuts may have links to a reduced risk of mortality from heart disease or other causes. The researchers recommend peanuts in particular as a cost-effective way to improve heart health for some people.
However, as peanut butter is high in calories, it is crucial that a person limits their intake if they do not want to put on weight. Eating more than the recommended amount will also increase fat and sodium intake, which does not benefit the heart.
3. Bodybuilding
Peanut butter is an easy way to increase calorie intake.
Many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts include peanut butter in their diets for various reasons.
Thanks to its high-calorie content, peanut butter is an easy way to increase calorie and unsaturated fat intake.
Nut butter is also a source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing muscles. Although peanut butter is not a complete protein — meaning it does not contain all of the essential amino acids the body needs — it does count toward a person’s daily protein intake.
Spreading peanut butter on whole-grain bread makes a more complete protein meal, as the bread contains the amino acid methionine, which peanut butter lacks.
4. Managing blood sugar levels
Peanut butter is a relatively low-carbohydrate food that contains good amounts of fats and protein, as well as some fibre.
These characteristics mean that peanut butter, with no added sugar, does not have a significant impact on blood glucose levels. This means it can be a good option for those with diabetes.
It is suggested peanut butter, peanuts, and peanut oil as good sources of monounsaturated fat.
A small 2013 study suggests that eating peanut butter or peanuts for breakfast could help women with obesity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes to manage their blood glucose levels. According to the survey, the women who added nuts to their breakfast had lower blood sugar levels and reported less hunger compared to women who ate a breakfast that contained the same amount of carbohydrates but no nuts.
Peanut butter is a good source of magnesium, which is an essential nutrient for people with diabetes. Continuous periods of high blood sugar may reduce magnesium levels in the body. Low magnesium levels are linked to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
5. Reducing the risk of breast disease
Eating peanut butter, especially from a young age, may reduce the risk of benign breast disease (BBD), which increases the risk of breast cancer.
Peanut allergies
Peanuts and other nuts are common allergens, with a peanut or tree nut allergy. Those with a known peanut allergy should avoid peanut butter and foods containing the nuts.
Which peanut butter is best?
When selecting a peanut butter product, look for one that contains just peanuts and few or no other ingredients.
Some peanut butter brands will contain other ingredients, such as sugar, salt, and added oils. Avoid these where possible.
It is normal for pure peanut butter to separate into solid and liquid form. Stir the contents thoroughly, and the consistency will return to normal.
To stop the peanut butter going off, store it in the refrigerator.
How to add peanut butter to your diet
Peanut butter is a healthful option when enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.
Eating more peanut butter is easy. Sometimes, it can be too easy — so be sure to be mindful of your intake to avoid eating more calories than you may need in a day. Remember 2 tbsp of peanut butter is close to 200 calories.
People can include peanut butter in their diets by:
• Making a classic American peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwich, using whole fruit, low sugar jam, and whole-grain bread.
• Spreading peanut butter on rice cakes and top with banana slices.
• Whipping up a Thai peanut dressing for salads, using lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey.
• Adding a spoonful of the nut butter to smoothies to make them more filling.
• Dipping apple and pear slices into peanut butter for an easy snack.
• Stirring peanut butter into yogurts or warm oat