Nutrition In Peanut Butter
Before we discuss the nutrition in peanut butter, you must know the best brand! The healthiest peanut better brand is biona and you can get it on amazon us or amazon uk. Okay, let’s go. Not all spreads are born equal, and peanut butter proves just this. Loaded with protein, B-complex vitamins, and antioxidants, it is one of the most popular foods in the United States with an average consumption of three pounds per American per year! The nutrition in peanut butter isn’t always beneficial, it is also high in fat and calories, much to my dismay. Just two tablespoons give you no less than a quarter of your recommended daily intake of fat, some of it saturated. Additionally, peanuts are among one of the most common food allergens in the United States, affecting around 4.6 million people! It isn’t all doom and gloom though for the nutrition in peanut butter has more benefits than drawbacks, particularly for those wishing to pack an extra protein punch to their everyday meals! Let’s take a further look at the nutrition of peanut butter and its health benefits.
Nutrition In Peanut Butter: What Does It Contain?
The following nutrition in peanut butter is from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 2 tablespoons (roughly the amount needed to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich) of smooth peanut butter with added salt.
Calories: 190
Fat: 16g
Sodium: 140mg
Carbohydrates: 8g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 7g
Let’s take a closer look at some of this nutrition in peanut butter.
Carbohydrates
The good thing about the nutrition in peanut butter is that it’s fairly low on the carbohydrate front! It has a very low glycemic index (ranking of carbohydrates in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels) of only 14.
The majority of the carbs in peanuts are complex, this means that the body breaks them down gradually for metabolism. On the flip side, peanut butter has few of the simple carbohydrates that trigger spikes in blood sugar.
But what about commerical peanut butter brands like Skippy or Jif that add sugar? The good news is that while they aren’t as nutritious as organic peanut butter brands, there is still no more than a few grams to those naturally found in peanuts.
Fats
This is a biggie when it comes to nutrition in peanut butter, coming to 16g per serving! However, fear not for most are monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat ( (“healthy” fats). Out of this 16g, only roughly 4% is saturated fat, the type that your told to steer clear from.
Most of the monounsaturated fats in peanuts are from oleic acid (which has a positive affect on cholesterol levels), while the polyunsaturated fats are mostly from linoleic acid (which helps to build muscle). What you may find surprising about nutrition in peanut butter is that it contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, anti-inflammatory acids that are associated with a reduced risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
However, it’s best to steer clear of commercial brands as these generally contain what is caleld hydrogenated oil. These stabilize the peanut butter and prevent the natural oils from separating and rising to the top. Hydrogenated oil does affect blood lipids level, causing "bad" LDL cholesterol to rise and "good" HDL cholesterol to fall, unlike monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Despite the high-fat content present in the nutrition of peanut butter, it is 100% cholesterol-free!
Protein
A huge 35% of the nutrition in peant butter is from protein, making it one of the best sources of non-meat protein. At just 7 grams per serving, it is easy to increase your daily intake if you are vegetarian or are simply not getting enough protein in your diet. There’s a reason so many athletes swear by it!
Micronutrients
The wonderful thing about the nutrition in peanut butter is that it is very nutrient-dense, meaning that it’s a great way to help you meet your RDI of vitamins and minerals, as well as those important antioxidants!
Here is how 32 grams of peanut butter contributes to the RDI of key nutrients:
Copper: 43% of the RDI
Folate: 20% of the RDI
Iron: 22% of the RDI
Magnesium: 14% of the RDI
Manganese: 28% of the RDI
Potassium: 18% of the RDI
Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 17% of the RDI
Vitamin B3 (niacin): 25% of the RDI
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 11% of the RDI
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): 9% of the RDI
Vitamin E: 18% of the RDI
Zinc: 10% of the RDI
Nutrition In Peanut Butter: Health Benefits
The vast amount of nutrition in peanut butter means that it comes with multiple health benefits! Not just hugely delicious, but also massively nutritious, what more could you want?!
1. May help with weight loss!
The nutrition in peanut butter is believed to help weight loss by promoting the sensation of feeling full soon after eating. This is due to its high protein and fat content. Peanut butter may help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of obesity by curbing your appetite!
Whether it actually helps you shed those few extra pounds is uncertain. A study carried out by Harvard University looked at the medical histories of over 50,000 women and found that those who consumed a higher consumption of nuts generally had a lower incidence of weight gain and obesity when compared to those who seldom ate nuts. However, what it did not prove was a direct correlation between nut consumption and weight loss.
As always, peanut butter should be eaten in moderation. You can have too much of a good thing after all!
2. May help lower the risk of heart disease
Any evidence that the nutrition in peanut butter or peanuts can reduce the risk of heart disease is hugely mixed. While the FDA stated that eating 1.5 ounces of nuts per day could be beneficial to heart health, they wouldn't go so far as to say that it could prevent heart disease.
However, there are some scientists that disagree with this. According to a 2016 review of studies from France antioxidants in peanuts, called resveratrol, may reduce cardiovascular inflammation and relax blood vessels, which in turn boosts circulation and reduces blood pressure.
3. Boosts muscle growth
As I mentioned earlier, peanut butter is a popular choice for athletes, in particular bodybuilders. Peanut butter is a great source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing muscles. Although peanut butter does not contain all of the essential amino acids the body needs, it does still 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. May reduce the risk of breast disease
The nutrition in peanut butter, especially if consumed from a young age, may reduce the risk of benign breast disease (BBD), which increases the risk of breast cancer.
Research carried out in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, reports that eating peanut butter and nuts at any age may result in a lower risk of developing BDD by age 30.
They also examined the data for over 9,000 schoolgirls in America. Other types of pulses, such as beans and soy, along with vegetable fats and other nuts, may also offer protection from BBD.
Even those with a family history of breast cancer had a significantly lower risk if they ate peanut butter and these other foods. Unless you are allergic, there really is no reason not to include peanut butter in your diet!
