We are sure you were not expecting to see the heading when you woke up this morning!
How do you like your peanut butter, crunchy or creamy? On toast or rice cakes? Or have you completely abandoned this food item because you are on your weight loss journey?
Well, the good news is, you might not have to compromise on this gooey delicacy after all. Despite its high calorie and fat count, moderated peanut butter intake is essential for losing weight, per numerous studies. All you have to do is tweak a few things when consuming it.
So, buckle up because we are about to dive into it…
A Villainized Food Item that can be the Hero of Your Diet
Sadly, when dietitians, so-called “fitness influencers,” share their two cents on the best ways to lose weight, they never mention peanut butter. Most of them only highlight the calorie count and high-fat content when discussing this goodness. The fat in peanut butter is nothing like in fried or highly processed food. These are healthy fats that our body requires daily.
32 grams (2 tablespoons) of peanut butter has 188 calories, 16 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 8 grams of protein, only 7 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber.
Here are some other nutrients present in peanut butter and their RDI (Reference Daily Intake) value:
29% of the RDI for manganese, 10% of the RDI for phosphorus, 10% Vitamin E RDI, 7% of the RDI for potassium, 13% of the RDI for magnesium, 7% of the RDI for B6, 22% of the RDI for vitamin B3, and vitamin B9 RDI of 7%.
As you can see, a significantly high amount of unsaturated fat is a good thing. Having peanut butter in breakfast can assist in lowering your cholesterol levels.
How? Well, you will replace saturated fat with the unsaturated fat in peanut butter. As a result, it will lower the chances of a heart attack.
If you have done your research, you must have heard that fiber is essential to lose weight. Well, lucky for you, peanut butter is also fiber-rich, filling 10% of the RDI and lowering BMI (Body Mass Index).
Peanut Butter Helps With Weight Loss: Here’s How
Reduces Appetite
While peanut butter is a calorie-dense food item, it helps to keep you fuller for longer. Therefore, it stops you from munching on unnecessary calories. The only trick is to find a sugar-free or low-fat variant so that you can cut back on your sugar intake.
Starting your day with peanut butter will prevent you from snaking before lunchtime.
Protein Intake
Protein is the most critical nutrient for the human body, and we all know that peanut butter is one of the best vegan protein sources. Your skin and hair will glow if you maintain the recommended daily dosage of protein.
Moreover, the protein from peanut butter will burn the extra fat from your body by increasing muscle mass in its place. Did you know that boosting metabolism is also aided by protein? So, don’t shy away from indulging in your peanut butter snacks for weight loss.
Stabilized Glycemic Response
Unstable blood sugar level is one of the main factors behind developing diabetes and obesity. It may occur due to overeating starchy and processed foods.
But you can enjoy the sweetness of peanut butter daily without increasing your blood sugar level as it has a relatively low glycemic index. Furthermore, studies have disclosed that serving peanut butter with a meal high in glycemic index can stabilize its effect on blood sugar.
The Best Kind of Peanut Butter to Lose Weight
The key to enjoying your peanut butter without worrying about your weight is to check the label. Choose a bottle of organic or natural peanut butter, as it will have all the goodness without the preservatives or added salt or sugar.
Keep away from products advertised as “peanut butter spread” instead of “peanut butter” because these contain all sorts of unhealthy ingredients and sugars.
Tip: Choose crunchy peanut butter as it has more folate and fiber, keeping you fuller for longer.
Healthy Ways to Eat Peanut Butter
Although beneficial, some ways to eat peanut butter can be better than others:
- Make a smoothie with berries, bananas, milk, and two tablespoons or 32 grams of peanut butter. It will keep the hunger pangs at bay for a lot longer. Or you can prepare a peanut butter powder smoothie.
- Enhance the taste of your salad by adding a dressing made with vinegar, olive oil, and peanut butter.
- Ditch the butter and spread peanut butter and honey on your whole wheat toast.
- Give the peanut butter soup from Thailand a try that includes garlic, onion, and tomatoes. You can find the recipe online.
- Make a jar of overnight oats with peanut butter and enjoy it the next day before you start the day.
Concluding Words
It’s a universal truth that tasty food is not considered suitable for our health. But that’s not true in the case of peanut butter.
It’s both tasty and nutritious, but if you only have it in the right way. The above methods of eating peanut butter are not limited, so you can get creative to add it to many recipes. All you have to do is shop mindfully. I hope this article has been helpful to you!
