Calories in peanut butter and its health benefits

Peanut butter is a popular healthy food recommended by nutrition experts. It's one of the cheapest plant protein sources, especially for those who don’t get enough protein. It's also rich in many important nutrients for the body.

Besides that, peanut butter has high fat and calorie content. Also, peanuts are a common food allergen. But peanut butter still offers many health benefits that outweigh its downsides.

This article will cover peanut butter calories, its health benefits, and how to include it in diets.

Calories in peanut butter

Here are the calories and nutrition values in 100 grams of peanut butter:-

Carbohydrates

A 100 gram serving of peanut butter provides about 20 grams of carbs. That’s about 13%-16% of the serving’s total weight, including around 6 grams of fiber and 9 grams of sugar.

Most of the carbs in peanut butter are complex carbs. Plus, its glycemic index is low, around 14, so a serving probably won’t affect your blood sugar levels.

Fat

Peanut butter has a lot of fat. A 100 gram serving has about 50 grams of fat. Most of this fat is healthy unsaturated fat, both mono and polyunsaturated. Only about 4% is saturated fat, which is the unhealthy kind.

The monounsaturated fat in peanuts comes from oleic acid, which helps cholesterol levels. The polyunsaturated fat comes from linoleic acid, which helps build muscle.

Peanut butter also has a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. These are anti-inflammatory and linked to lower risks of diabetes and heart disease.

Protein

Peanut butter is a great plant-based protein source. A 100 gram serving gives about 25 grams of protein. So it’s good for people on plant-based diets.

Vitamins and minerals

Peanut butter has many nutrients and can help meet daily vitamin and mineral needs. It has several B vitamins like B1, B5, B6, folate, and also vitamin E.

It also provides important minerals like copper, magnesium, iron, potassium, manganese, and zinc. Plus, it has lots of antioxidants.

Calories

Peanut butter has a lot of calories. A 100 gram serving gives about 588 calories, made up of 72% fat, 12% carbs, and 16% protein.

The great part is that despite the high calories, peanut butter packs a lot of nutrients even in small portions.

Health Benefits of Peanut Butter

Since peanut butter has many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, carbs, and antioxidants, it offers several important health benefits, which can include:-

1. Peanut butter supports heart health

It provides a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. These acids are linked to heart health by lowering risks of heart and blood vessel diseases. They also raise good HDL cholesterol, lower bad LDL cholesterol, and reduce blood pressure.

Also, reviews showed that antioxidants in peanuts, called resveratrol, can reduce heart and blood vessel inflammation, improving circulation and lowering blood pressure.

So, eating about 55 grams of nuts, not just peanuts, weekly can protect your heart if it's part of a low-fat diet and regular exercise.

2. Peanut butter helps manage blood sugar

Since peanut butter has a low glycemic index, it doesn’t spike blood sugar after eating. Also, some studies showed that two big spoons with breakfast can help prevent a sudden blood sugar jump after the meal.

3. Peanut butter supports weight loss

Peanut butter is common in diets for losing weight because it helps you feel full due to its high protein and fat. This can curb appetite, lower risks of weight gain or obesity, and help keep a healthy weight.

Even though it can reduce appetite, it’s important to watch portion size because eating too much might backfire.

4. Peanut butter helps build muscle

Peanut butter is an important source of protein, which builds muscles. Also, it provides a lot of magnesium, a key mineral for muscle function and strength.

5. Peanut butter supports cognitive functions

Studies found that peanut butter affects cognition, stress, and anxiety. Regular eating of peanuts or peanut butter may help improve memory and reduce stress and anxiety feelings.

Peanut butter food allergy

Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies among people and can be serious for adults and kids alike.

Peanut allergies can range from mild to life-threatening in rare cases. They can cause a full body reaction called anaphylaxis or shock.

Symptoms of peanut allergy include common allergy signs like rash, swelling, breathing difficulty, wheezing, and tongue or throat swelling. Without treatment, anaphylaxis can lead to shock, heart or lung failure, and death.

Storing peanut butter and food safety

Since it has no stabilizers, natural oils in natural peanut butter can separate from the solids. So you should stir it before use. This also means you need to keep natural peanut butter in the fridge because the oil can spoil or go bad at room temperature.

Natural peanut butter lasts about 2-4 months in a pantry, and about 3-6 months in the fridge. Regular peanut butter can be stored in a pantry or fridge for up to one year.

You usually tell if peanut butter is bad by looking at it. If the color darkens or it gets harder and drier, it’s best to throw it out. Also, if it loses its smell, toss it regardless of the expiry date.

Never eat peanut butter that shows color change or mold. This is because a common mold type in peanut butter, called aflatoxin, is a carcinogen that may increase the risk of liver cancer and other cancers.

How to use peanut butter in recipes

You can enjoy peanut butter many ways and with lots of recipes. Who can resist toasted bread with peanut butter and some seeds like flax or chia?

Besides, peanut butter is great as a quick snack alone, or spread on fruit slices like banana or apple, or veggies like celery sticks, plus cookies.

Peanut butter is also super tasty in vanilla yogurt or mixed into protein shakes or smoothies. It also works great in pasta dishes and curries.

Source of the article.