Peanut Butter – Health Benefits, Uses & Side Effects

Peanut butter is an all-time favorite food staple for the many. People all over the world enjoy it. According to an estimate, Americans alone can consume 700 million pounds of peanut butter annually.

Another study claims that about 90% of households in America will heave peanut butter jars in their homes. There are different ways that you can eat peanut butter—applying on a slice of bread in one of them.

Other than this, some countries also add it to curries, make sauces out of it or add it to soups. Kids, on the other hand, are more creative.

They can dip fruits in peanut butter or even their cereal sticks. A jar of peanut butter often finishes more quickly than you expect.

What is Peanut Butter?

Peanut butter is a paste obtained from grounded and roasted peanuts.

Extra ingredients added to the paste help to form the finished form of peanut butter. These extra ingredients include; sweeteners, salt or emulsifiers.

Nutritional Content of Peanut Butter

100 grams of peanut butter contains the following nutritional content;

• 588 calories
• 50% fat
• 25% protein
• 20% carbohydrates
• 6% dietary fiber
• Peanut butter is rich in vitamins. Many of these vitamins make up 20% of the daily intake. Vitamin E and Vitamin B6 are examples of the vitamins found in peanut butter.
• Minerals are also present in peanut butter in excessive quantity. Manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and copper are such minerals.
• A moderate amount of thiamine, iron, and potassium is also present in peanut butter.
• Peanut butter contains a variety of fatty acids. These include saturated and unsaturated fats such as the Omega 3 fatty acids.
• Peanut butter contains a variety of fatty acids. These include saturated and unsaturated fats such as the Omega 3 fatty acids.

Health Benefits of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter has loads of nutritional benefits. The appropriate amounts of vitamins, mineral makes it a part of a healthy breakfast.

A detail of the health benefits of peanut butter are as follows;

1. Good Source of Protein for Vegetarians

Vegetarians often find it hard to make up their daily need for protein. It is one of the best alternatives to daily animal protein.

Yet, on the downside, it is low in methionine. This is an essential amino acid found in meat protein.

2. Low Carb Diet

People who are a specific diet can consume peanut butter without any fear of gaining weight.

This is because it only contains 20% carbohydrates. It also prevents a rise in blood glucose level which makes it suitable for diabetic patients.

3. Antioxidants

Peanut butter is rich in Antioxidants. These antioxidants help to fight off harmful radicals from the body. An example of such antioxidants is oleic acid.

MEDICAL USES

1. Obesity

According to several research studies, peanuts help in maintaining a healthy weight.

That is because eating peanut butter makes you feel full. The high fiber, fat and protein content will stop you from consuming junk food.

You can observe the weight loss within a few days.

2. Cardiovascular Diseases

Peanut butter contains some saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids combined serve as a booster for heart health.

Peanut butter has the same nutritional value as olive oil.

It prevents the chances of developing cardiac diseases. It makes it one of the cost-effective ways to keep your heart healthy.

3. Body Building

The high caloric content of peanut butter makes it a suitable staple for bodybuilders.

It provides bodybuilders with the necessary amount of calories in a day. Peanut butter also contains adequate amounts of protein.

Protein helps in building muscles and repairing damages in muscles.

4. Diabetes

Peanut butter with no added sugars is a premium diet for diabetic patients. That is because it helps to manage blood glucose levels.

Oleic acid present in peanut butter also improved sensitivity to cells.

5. Breast Cancer

According to a study, peanut butter helps prevent breast disease. Teenagers who had peanut butter are less prone to develop breast cancer.

Women with benign breast diseases are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. The research included about 9000 females.

Peanut butter reduced the chances of developing the disease by 39%. But, some researchers think that it might be the protein content of the peanut butter.

6. Cancer

The antioxidants in peanut butter serve as an excellent protective shield from cancer.

People who eat 3 servings of peanut butter in a week helps prevent colorectal cancer.

7. Alzheimers Disease

Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, and unsaturated fats, in peanut butter, are important for a healthy brain.

These constituents improve cognition and memory. It also improves sleeping patterns. All these beneficial effects help to prevent Alzheimer’s diseases in the future.

8. Stress and Anxiety

The relaxed feeling when eating peanuts is not a coincidence. Phytosterol is a compound found in peanut butter.

This compound is helpful in normalizing levels of cortisol in the body. The other name for Cortisol is the stress hormone.

Changes in levels of cortisol will help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Side Effects of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is safe to consume and does not produce serious side effects.

1. Allergic Reactions

Nut allergies are common all over the world. People who suffer from nut allergies should avoid eating peanut butter.

If eaten, it may cause anaphylactic reactions. If you experience the following symptoms, then it is best to rush to the hospital

• Redness on skin
• Wheezing
• Difficulty to breathe or feeling of choking

2. Storage Safety

A dry and cool environment is the preferable storage condition of peanut butter. Improper storage of peanut butter can lead to the production of particular fungi.

These species of fungi produce carcinogenic aflatoxin. These may produce harmful effects on health in the long run.

CONCLUSION

Peanut butter is a yummy form of a snack. It is liked by many all over the world regardless of age.

Being delicious is not the only positives that it owns. It has several positive effects on health. There are no side effects of peanut butter. But it is better to avoid it if you have a history of nut allergies.

Appropriate storage of peanut butter is essential. That will help you protect it from developing a rancid flavor. Thus, always keep your peanut butter jars in the refrigerator.