9 Health Benefits Of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is one of the healthiest food on earth. There are various health benefits of peanut butter.

On top of that, it tastes great and has an amazing texture. The way it sticks to the roof of your mouth before it melts feels wonderful.

One serving (2 tablespoons) of peanut butter gives you about 190 calories and 16 grams of fat. This doesn’t sound healthy but surprisingly there are a lot of health benefits of peanut butter.

You must have read:

Is Peanut Butter Good Or Bad For You

Unfortunately, a very small percentage of people are allergic to peanuts hence they can’t enjoy it. But for others, peanut butter is a great deal to be healthy.

This article will explain to you all the health benefits of peanut butter. So let’s dive deep into it.

Health Benefits Of Peanut Butter

1. A Great Source Of Protein

Peanut butter is a good source of protein and contains 8 grams of protein per serving. It’s a delicious way to complete your daily protein intake.

As compared to other plant-based food sources, it’s protein content is very high. Therefore, for vegetarians and vegans, it is one of the best sources of protein.

Despite the fact that it is rich in protein, you should eat it in moderate amount as it is high in calories.

However, it is rich in protein, it doesn’t contain all the essential amino acids which your body needs. To make it a complete protein source you can spread it on a slice of whole-wheat bread. Bread contains an essential amino acid, ‘methionine’ in which peanut butter lacks.

SUMMARY: Peanut butter is a great source of protein especially for vegetarians. However, it lacks in methionine, spreading it on whole-wheat bread completes its amino profile.

2. Promotes Heart Health

This is probably the best health benefit of peanut butter. The primary nutrient of peanut butter is fat. It is a great source of MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) and PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids).

Now for a healthy heart, you need a high ratio of healthy fatty acids (MUFAs and PUFAs) to saturated fat in your diet. Due to this reason, peanut butter is good for your heart.

In addition to healthy fatty acids, peanut butter also contains vitamin E, niacin, and magnesium. These micronutrients are good for your heart health.

Studies show that taking 2 tablespoons of peanut butter daily along with a healthy diet can benefit your heart health.

SUMMARY: A high amount of healthy fatty acids (PUFAs and MUFAs) in peanut butter helps in improving heart health.

3. Helps In Gaining Weight

Fat is a very calory dense macronutrient. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories whereas 1 gram of protein and carbs contain only 4 calories. Now the primary content of peanut butter is fat, which is why it helps you in gaining weight and muscle mass.

If you are unable to gain weight easily, then peanut butter is the best food you can add in your diet. It’s a great way to consume high calories and healthy fats. You can take 1-2 servings of peanut butter daily.

4. A Great Energy Booster

No wonder that people eat peanut butter for breakfast. It is high in calories that energize you in the morning. In addition, it is high in fat, due to which it digests slowly and keep giving you energy for a longer time.

There are a lot of ways to eat peanut butter. You can make a peanut butter sandwich, add it in a smoothie, or in oats. However, my favorite pick is the peanut butter sandwich along with some warm milk.

It is one of the healthiest meals to start your day and provides you all the macronutrients and important vitamins and minerals.

Peanut butter is also very beneficial for gym freaks and people who indulged in sports. These high-intensity activities demand a lot of energy and peanut butter is a healthy option for that.

SUMMARY: Peanut butter boosts energy by providing a lot of calories. Also, its high-fat content keeps you energized for a longer time.

5. Improves Your Digestive Health

Peanut butter is a good source of fiber. It’s one serving gives you about 3 grams of fiber which helps in strengthening your digestive system.

Taking enough fiber in your diet is necessary for your stomach. Fiber improves your bowel movement and also helps you in constipation.

6. Helps In Fat Loss

Despite the fact that peanut butter is a calory-dense food, it helps you in maintaining your weight and losing fat.

The reason behind this is that peanut butter is very low in carbs. It gives you about 5 grams of carbs per serving and most of it is in the form of fiber. Due to which it doesn’t spike your insulin levels.

In addition, a high amount of healthy fats in peanut butter keeps you full for a longer time as fat digests slowly. So, you tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day which leads to fat loss.

In fact, a study was done in 2018 found that eating peanuts in moderation reduces the risk of a person being obese or overweight.

SUMMARY: A high amount of healthy fats in peanut butter keeps you full for a longer time and you tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day.

7. Reduce The Chance Of Developing Diabetes

Peanut butter contains very less amount of sugar and high fiber. Due to which it doesn’t have a significant impact on your blood sugar levels.

However, some brands add artificial sugar in it which can have adverse effects on your blood sugar levels. So make sure to buy real and all-natural peanut butter.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that eating one serving of peanut butter (about 2 tablespoons) per day can lower the risk of developing diabetes by about 30 percent.

8. Good For Bone Health

Peanut butter contains a decent amount of magnesium which helps in building stronger bones.

9. Rich In Micronutrients

Peanut butter is a highly nutritious food. It is rich in some important vitamins and minerals. A 100-gram portion of peanut butter gives you about:

• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 68% of the RDA
• Manganese: 72% of the RDA
• Vitamin E: 45% of the RDA
• Magnesium: 40% of the RDA
• Vitamin B6: 28% of the RDA
• Copper: 24% of the RDA
• Folate: 18% of the RDA

On top of that, it also contains biotin and a good amount of zinc, iron, potassium, and selenium.

How To Identify The Best Peanut Butter?

To get the maximum health benefits of peanut butter, you have to take one which contains only peanuts. Before buying peanut butter, never forget to check it’s nutrition label and ingredients present in it.

Here is the ideal nutrition label of natural and pure peanut butter:

As you can see it doesn’t contain any additional ingredients like added sugar and hydrogenated oils.

The Takeaway

These were some of the best health benefits of peanut butter. No doubt it is super healthy food but some companies add some useless ingredients in it.

In order to make it tastier and to reduce their manufacturing cost, some brands reduce their health index. I suggest you avoid these junky products and go for the natural ones.

Here is a list of some all-natural peanut butter of different brands. Add it in your diet and enjoy the health benefits of peanut butter.