Eating peanut butter in moderation provides you with wholesome nutrients. However, eating too much can make you gain weight because it is packed with calories and fats.
Generally, it's recommended to limit peanut butter intake to 1 to 2 tablespoons per day due to its high calorie and fat content. Consuming excessive amounts regularly could lead to weight gain and other health issues. It's best to enjoy peanut butter in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
While most of the fat in peanut butter is relatively healthy, peanuts also contain some saturated fat, which can lead to heart problems when consumed in excess over time. Peanuts are high in phosphorus, which can limit your body's absorption of other minerals like zinc and iron.
If there is an allergy to peanuts, avoid peanut butter and visit Food Allergies for more information and resources on peanut and other allergies.
Cholesterol Content: Peanut butter is cholesterol-free since it's a plant-based food. This makes it a good option for those looking to maintain or lower their cholesterol levels.
Helps heart health
Due to its high amount of unsaturated fats, peanut butter may help reduce a person's LDL cholesterol levels. Having optimal LDL levels is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. A 2015 study found that people who had a high intake of nuts may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
Jif (2022)
Sure enough, its most recent recall scandal occurred in 2022, when Jif peanut butter was linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened 21 people and hospitalized four across 17 states.
Is peanut butter inflammatory? Peanut butter isn't an inflammatory food. Research suggests it has anti-inflammatory properties.
Watch out for added sugars in sweetened beverages such as energy drinks, regular sodas, and flavored teas, which may increase blood pressure and heart disease risk. Ready to give it a try? Changing what's in your glass or tumbler can be a simple, straightforward way to get your blood pressure under control.
While peanut butter is generally healthy, potential risks include allergic reactions, high caloric intake leading to weight gain, aflatoxin contamination, and added sugars or sodium in commercial varieties. Choose high-quality, natural peanut butter and consume it in moderation to mitigate these risks.
Peanut butter contains many nutrients that help your body recover from the day. It helps rebuild your muscles and provides long-lasting energy to keep your body satisfied throughout the night and might even reduce your morning cravings. And, peanut butter has a natural sleep-inducing chemical, too.
Peanut butter contains prebiotics which feed beneficial bacteria in the microbiome; however, it's important to keep in mind that consuming too much peanut butter can cause digestive distress. Excessive intake can lead to a build up of gas in the intestines due to its high fiber content.
Red meat, such as burgers and steaks. Processed meats like hot dogs, brats and other sausages. Refined carbohydrates like the ones you find in breads and pastries. Dairy products, because for many people, casein, a protein common in milk, ice cream and cheese, has been shown to irritate the tissue around joints.
Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts contain high amounts of fiber, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin E and Omega-3 fats which all have anti-inflammatory effects.
SUGAR, SODIUM, TRANS FAT and FOOD ADDITIVES
Peanut butter is loaded with either sugar, or its common substitutes, like high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and maltodextrin. Peanut butter contains heart-destroying hydrogenated vegetable oils. Peanut butter contains lots of sodium, food additives and flavorings.
An open jar of peanut butter stays fresh up to three months in the pantry. After that, it's recommended to store the peanut butter in the fridge (where it can maintain its quality for another 3-4 months).
For years, peanuts and tree nuts have been considered off-limits or strongly discouraged in school snacks and lunches as a precaution protecting those with life-threatening allergies. It's a practice that many families with food-allergic kids consider crucial.
Fibre helps reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed into the blood stream from your digestive system (also known as the intestine). Some ways you can eat more fibre include; eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. eating pulses such as lentils, beans and chickpeas.
You develop symptoms of heart disease, stroke, or atherosclerosis in other blood vessels, such as left-sided chest pain, pressure, or fullness; dizziness; unsteady gait; slurred speech; or pain in the lower legs. Any of these conditions may be linked to high cholesterol, and each requires medical help right away.
Chicken eggs are an affordable source of protein and other nutrients. They're also naturally high in cholesterol. But the cholesterol in eggs doesn't seem to raise cholesterol levels the way some other foods, such as those high in trans fats and saturated fats, do.