A giant scoop of peanut butter on a piece of bread is all you need to satisfy your sweet cravings. But as we grow, a question arises in our mind: is peanut butter good for you? A spoonful of peanut butter is rich in protein and healthy fats.
Most of the studies show that peanut butter slows down cellular aging and promotes heart health. However, if you are a vegetarian and going to the gym, then peanut butter is the best option for better results. Here we are going to show: Is peanut butter good for you or not?
Understanding more about peanut butter?
Peanut butter is a type of unprocessed food that can be Dieter’s and Foodie’s best friend. It is just peanuts that are underground until they turn into a paste. However, there is a myth around people that peanut butter is not fattening. Peanut butter contains fats, but they are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that make it nutritious.
One serving of peanut butter contains all three macronutrients proteins, carbohydrates and fats. However, it is not healthy as broccoli or spinach, but it is rich in vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin B3, manganese, copper and magnesium. Moreover, a study shows that peanuts also have resveratrol as an antioxidant which helps to fight against free radicals that can cause heart disease and cancer.
However, some peanut butter in the market contains various other ingredients such as vegetable oils, sugar, salt and trans fat. Consuming too much sugar, salt, and trans fat can cause several health issues like heart diseases.
Therefore, instead of fake products, buy real peanut butter that only contains peanuts and a little bit of salt.
Evidence that lets you know if peanut butter is good for you or not?
Below we are going to show you some reasons that can answer your question: Is peanut butter good for you?
1.Better source of protein
Peanut butter is a better source of all three macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. A study shows that if you are consuming a 100g portion of peanut butter, then you are getting 20g of carbohydrates, 25g of proteins and 50g of fat.
However, peanut butter is low in the essential amino acid methionine. As we know, peanuts are from the family of legumes. That is why legume protein is low in methionine and cysteine.
So if you are relying only on peanut butter, then insufficiency of methionine can be a risk. On the other hand, studies show that methionine has some health benefits. It may extend the life span of rats and mice, but it is unclear that it also works on humans in the same way.
2. Low in carbs
Peanut butter is suitable for a low carb diet because it only contains 20% of carbohydrates. However, peanut butter is best for people with type two diabetes because it causes a low rise in blood sugar levels.
An observational study shows that women who are eating peanut butter five times a week or more were at a reduced risk of type two diabetes. Oleic acid is the main fat present in peanut butter that helps to decrease the risk of health diseases.
3. Rich in healthy fats
Peanut butter is high in fats. However, 100g portions of peanut butter contain 588 calories. So eating moderate amounts of pure peanut butter is best for a weight loss diet due to its high-calorie content.
However, half of the peanut butter is of oleic acid that is a healthy type of monounsaturated fat. Moreover, oleic acid also has health benefits like improved insulin sensitivity.
On the other hand, peanut butter is high in omega-6 fatty acid. And some studies show that more consumption of Omega-6 fatty acids can increase inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases.
4. Rich in vitamins and minerals
A spoonful of peanut butter is rich in micronutrients vitamins and minerals. If you are intaking 100g portions of peanut butter, then you are consuming 67% of vitamin B3, 27% of vitamin B6, 45% is vitamin E, 28% or folate, 24% of copper and 73% of manganese.
Moreover, peanut butter also contains biotin and a decent amount of potassium, selenium, vitamin B5 and zinc. Keep in mind a 100g of portion has a total of 588 calories. However, peanut butter is less nutritious than low-calorie foods like broccoli or spinach.
5. Contain antioxidants
Peanut butter is rich in antioxidants involving resveratrol and p-coumarin that may reduce arthritis in rats. However, peanut butter is rich in several micronutrients. Moreover, it also has some biologically active nutrients which can have some health benefits.
A study shows that peanut butter also contains some resveratrol that can help to lower down the risk of heart diseases and other chronic diseases.
6. A better source of aflatoxins
Peanut butter is a nutritious food, but it also contains some harmful substance aflatoxins. As we know, a peanut is grown under the earth where it gets colonized by a ubiquitous mold known as Aspergillus. And this mold is a source of highly carcinogenic aflatoxins.
Some human studies show that high consumption of aflatoxins is the reason for exposure to liver cancer and growth in children and mental retardation. But processing peanuts into peanut butter reduces the number of aflatoxins by 89%.
Additionally, the USDA makes sure that aflatoxin doesn’t go over the limit by monitoring the amount of it.
7. Healthy heart
Peanut butter is rich in p-coumaric acid that helps to offset the damage done to the cells associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, it is high in unsaturated fat which lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
8. Decreases the risk of Alzheimer disease
Peanut butter is rich in niacin known as vitamin B3 that helps to decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other memory disorders. The niacin helps to recover cell damage of the brain.
Moreover, peanut butter also contains p-coumarin acid content that helps to fight the oxidative stress on the cells.
9. Prevent gallstones
Most of the studies show that consuming peanut butter can reduce the risk of gallstones by 25%. However, gallstones are also known as cholesterol stones that cause due to the high cholesterol level.
Moreover, peanuts can reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol result in reducing the possibility of developing gallstones.
10. Strong bones
Peanut butter is high in iron and calcium that helps to transport oxygen in the blood and promote healthy strong bones. However, if you want to include healthy protein in your daily diet, then peanut butter is one of the best options to maintain your healthy and strong bones.
Final words on peanut butter
We can say that peanut butter is a nutritious food from some benefits shown above. But consuming peanut butter every day is not a better choice. Below we are going to show some tips to consume peanut butter as a part of a healthy diet.
- Try to intake pure peanut butter that is not high in sugar, salt and trans fat.
- You don’t have to be dependent on peanut butter for a large part of your diet.
- Try to consume peanut butter in moderation because it contains a toxin that harms the body.
- Do not intake peanut butter every day. However, consuming a small amount of it can decrease the risk of any harm.
Bottom line
There are positive and negative things about peanut butter shown in this article. However, peanut butter is rich in nutrients and a decent amount of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, but you can’t ignore the high-calorie content in it. On the other hand, it also contains aflatoxins that can cause harmful effects in our bodies.
Therefore, you don’t have to use peanut butter as a dominant food source in your diet. Try to consume pure peanut butter that is not high in sugar, salt and trans fat in a small amount to decrease the risk of its harmful effects.
