I'd like to talk about my favorite food group... peanut butter. (wait, what?) It is gold. Yummy and versatile, savory and sweet. I love nut butters in general, but the peanut variety is the one I hold dear. Because this spread has become so trendy, there are a plethora of different companies doing it in different ways. I'd like to go through a couple of them and explain why they are different, nutritionally speaking. NOT all PB is created equal... Although I am not one to discriminate. At the end of this article, I will share a list of articles that are pertinent to this dicussion :)
Nutritional Stats
The typical macronutrient stats for peanut butter are as follows...
For 1 serving (2 Tbsp)
Calories: 190-210
Fats: 16 g // Carbs: 7 g // Protein: 8 g
This indicates that peanut butter should be used as a FAT source, albeit one that is relatively high in protein.
Ingredients
Peanut butter is both healthy and calorie dense. YES these two things can both be true about a food. Nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats, which are necessary for hormone production, healthy cell membranes, and thermoregulation. When choosing a peanut butter, check out the ingredients list. What should it contain? Peanuts. Maybe salt. The end. There is no need to add sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or preservatives... but many companies do. Consider what you put into your body, as the cells of our food literally become the cells of our body. You are what you eat, as they say. Some of my favorite simple peanut butters...
~ TRADER JOE's crunchy, salted. $2.49 for a 16 oz jar. My favorite of all time.
~ Safeway's Organics brand.
~ MaraNatha
~ Whole Foods self- grind. If you're REALLY trying to treat yoself (as well you should) you can grind your own peanuts at Whole PayCheck. Expensive, but oh so tasty.
I eat these daily.
Healthy Treats
Fancy peanut butter has become all the rage at the moment. There are many "all natural", fantastic brands that offer great flavors. However, with these come added sugar. Be it cane sugar, honey, molasses, ect... It all contributes. These additives are not necessary in PB, but they are delicious. I'd never tell you otherwise. I'll share a couple of my favorite fancy brands...
~ Wild Friends
~ Justin's (**note that this brand contains Palm Oil, which is not a sustainably sourced ingredient)
~ PB Crave
~ Peanut Butter & Co.
I am mindful of my intake of these, and generally consider them treats. However! I eat dessert every day, and these are my go- to's for that.
Every Once in a While...
Then there are the Skippy's and Jif's of the world. They inhabit the shelves and call to us with their cheap prices and yummy flavah. However, they usually contain partially hydrogenated oils (no bueno) and tons of added sugar. They have their place in the rotation, but not as a staple choice. I use them while camping (as they never require refrigeration), and when I'm feeling nostalgic for childhood.
Uses
I'll now share some of my favorite ways to sneak peanut butter into every meal.
- atop yogurt, oatmeal, and smoothie bowls
- melted on ice cream, as a low sugar alternative to other sauces
- in savory cooking- check out Thai peanut sauce recipies
- with bananas or berries
- on toast or sandwiches
- as the base of Power Balls/Energy Balls (recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/245429/no-bake-energy-balls/)
Happy Eating!
References
- A peer- reviewed article on the prevalance of trans fats in US packaged products. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4149331/
- On the connection between excess sugar consumption and various disease risk factors. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/
- On the health benefits of nut consumption. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257681/