It sure is tasty, but is peanut butter actually good for you? Find out how this rich sandwich topping stacks up against other sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Fat in Peanut Butter
Check the nutrition label on the back of a jar of commercial peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, and you’ll notice that there is indeed some trans fat. In order to create a creamy consistency, some of the oil in commercial peanut butter is converted into hardened saturated fat. These saturated fats keep the peanut butter from separating into oil and solid.
With that trans fat in the jar, is peanut butter actually good for you? The answer is yes. The key is in looking at just how much trans fat is in the jar.
Compare the trans fat to the mono- and polyunsaturated fats in peanut butter, and you’ll find that peanut butter has more of the good stuff than the bad. Just 3.5 out of the 17 grams of fat in a serving of Jif are bad for you.
While so many people hear “fat” and immediately think “bad!” the truth is that not all kinds of fat are harmful. Mono- and polyunsaturated fats are good fats that our bodies need to promote healthy cell growth. These healthy fats aid nutrient absorption and can actually help us lose weight. Peanut butter is packed with these healthy fats.
Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
What else is in peanut butter? The list of healthful components includes vitamin E, magnesium, folate, and zinc. With the exception of zinc, each of these has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. And zinc is a mineral that has been shown to improve the immune system.
Put some of this vitamin and mineral packed spread on whole grain bread with all-natural jelly or honey or substitute it for butter on your toast, and you’ve got the perfect meal: it’s healthy and the more you eat, the more you reduce your risk for heart disease.
Peanut Butter as a Source of Fiber and Protein
Two tablespoons of peanut butter provide 7 grams of protein. That’s not a lot of protein, but when compared to other sources of protein like energy bars, it’s a better option because it’s natural.
Peanut butter also contains some fiber: about 1 gram per tablespoon. Fiber helps people feel full and also alleviates problems with constipation. While peanut butter by itself doesn’t contain a lot of fiber, pairing peanut butter with whole grain bread increases the amount of fiber significantly.
Many doctors actually recommend peanut butter as a snack for dieters because of its fat and fiber content. Eaten in moderation, peanut butter helps dieters feel satisfied. It’s also a great accompaniment to healthy foods like celery or apples that many people do not enjoy on their own.
Peanut Butter the Superfood
While you cannot subsist entirely on peanut butter, including peanut butter in your diet has many benefits. Compared to other sources of fat and nutrients, it’s a pretty healthy choice, especially if you choose natural peanut butter.