Peanut Butter: Does anyone not like it?

Happy New Year!  Time to be thankful for our health, and to reminisce a bit...  


When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to eat was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or, as my mom called it, a PBJ.  Unfortunately, my favorite thing to eat it on was squishy white bread, cut (or more accurately, pressed with a dull knife but not completed severed) in half. But I digress.

I still love peanut butter, and now I can rejoice in its many health benefits as well as in its perfectly yummy taste! 

Nutrients: Peanuts are a fantastic source of protein, Vitamin E, niacin, folate, and manganese.  They also boast antioxidant properties on par with blackberries.

Heart health: According to this article, peanut consumption has been associated with lower cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk.  According to one study, the decrease in risk was 21%.

Cancer prevention: In this 10-year study involving men and women, colon cancer risk was found to be greatly reduced with peanut consumption.

So even if peanuts are high in fat, remember it’s monounsaturated (good) fat, and according to the above facts, we shouldn’t be scared to indulge, if in moderation!  Eat up!

• Spread peanut butter on your morning whole grain toast (add juice-sweetened fruit spreads or apple butter for an extra kick)
• Add a tablespoon of peanut butter to your morning smoothie
• Make apples and peanut butter your go-to midday snack.  Or, be like me and just grab a teaspoon and eat it, but don't double dip if you share your food stuffs with friends :)
• Combine peanut butter and other Thai seasonings like curry or coconut milk to make a yummy cooking sauce

Shopping tip:  Read the label.  The only ingredient you need is the nut (e.g. peanuts, almonds, etc)!  If there is a second ingredient, make sure it’s just salt.  Oils, hydrogenated (trans) fats, and sugars, and other additives are unnecessary and make this otherwise healthful snack less so. See below for the contents of Skippy Natural... not so great (roasted peanuts, sugar, palm oil, salt), and this is by no means the worst offender of the big brands. 

Also, choose organic where feasible.  Organic peanut butter is often reasonably priced compared to its non-organic relatives.  Almond butter tends to be quite pricey when purchased organic, so I usually just look for one whose ingredient list reads: “Raw almonds.”  Trader Joe's makes one that I like.  They also carry organic fruit spreads, some of which are fruit juice (rather than sugar) sweetened.  If you don't have a Trader Joe's, look for Arrowhead Mills.  Justin's and Mara Natha are easier to find, though many contain oil and sugar so check the label first.

To be VERY healthy (and cool, in my book, though I’ve never done it myself), try grinding your own butters in a health food store or a Vitamix blender.

Disclaimer: I eat mostly almond butter now, but do incorporate some peanut butter too.  Almond butter has a better fatty acid profile, and doesn't come with the risk of aflatoxin, a natural toxin produced by certain strains of a mold that grows on peanuts.  The risk is very low that a peanut butter you’d buy in the store would be contaminated , so unless you’re immune or otherwise compromised, you probably don’t need to worry.