Health Benefits of Peanut Butter
Published: October 11, 2022
Updated: April 26, 2023
Is it possible to not love peanut butter? Whether you eat it for lunch in a classic PB&J, enjoy it in desserts like peanut butter cups, or prefer to eat it in savory dishes like noodles with peanut sauce, it’s a pantry staple. You may have heard that it is not that healthy for you because it is high in calories and saturated fat, but peanuts actually have a lot of health benefits. In this blog post, we’ll explain what you should know about the health benefits of peanut butter and how to incorporate it into a balanced diet.
What’s in Peanut Butter?
Peanuts are a type of legume, like beans, peas, and lentils. In its most natural form, peanut butter is simply peanuts that have been ground into a smooth paste. Some store-bought more highly processed peanut butter contains added salt, sugar, vegetable oils, and trans fat that change its flavor and consistency. Peanut butter is usually either sold in salted or unsalted varieties that can be either chunky or smooth.
Nutrition Info and Health Benefits
A 2-tablespoon serving of natural peanut butter containing no additives has 190 calories, 8 grams of protein, 16 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of sugar. Peanuts and peanut butter are high in B vitamins and vitamin E, folate, magnesium, copper, and manganese.1
Peanut butter contains all three major macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. However, it is relatively low in carbohydrates, so it is well-suited for a low-carb diet. Peanut butter contains 3 grams of unhealthy saturated fat, but most of its fat content is unsaturated, or healthy fat.1 Because of this and its high protein content, peanut butter is considered to be an excellent source of vegan protein.
Eating peanut butter won’t cause your blood sugar to quickly spike, so it is a good food for people who are managing diabetes. Peanut butter is high in antioxidants, like resveratrol, that can reduce symptoms of arthritis and lower your risk for other chronic diseases, including heart disease.2 The healthy fats, niacin, magnesium, and vitamin E in peanut butter all contribute to good heart health.3
Peanut Butter vs. Other Nut Butters
Peanut butter is by far the most common, but you might also find almond butter and cashew butter at your local grocery store. If you’re wondering which of these three nut butters is healthiest, here’s what you should know:
Almond butter is about equal to peanut butter in calorie count but contains more vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.4 Peanut butter is slightly higher in protein. Cashew butter has more calories, fat, and carbohydrates and less protein than peanut butter.5 The nutritional differences between these three foods are minimal, so which one you choose should be based on your personal preferences for taste and affordability. Peanut butter is the cheapest type of nut butter you can buy and is the most widely available.
Remember, regardless of which of these you pick, look for one that contains no added sugar or oil! The ingredients should simply be peanuts and salt. Adding sugar, hydrogenated oils, and other ingredients can change the nutritional value and reduce the health benefits of eating nut butters.
Are There Risks to Eating Peanut Butter?
The biggest risk to eating peanut butter is that it can cause dangerous allergic reactions in people with peanut allergies. If you do not have a peanut allergy, moderate consumption of peanut butter is unlikely to have any negative impacts on your health.
Peanut butter is delicious and high in calories – and this is a bad combination if you are trying to avoid gaining weight. It’s easy to eat a lot of it and accidentally add extra calories to your diet. So, always be mindful of serving size and be sure to pick a type of peanut butter that does not contain added sugar or oil.
The Many Ways to Eat Peanut Butter
You could eat peanut butter straight out of the jar… or you could combine it with other foods for a healthy snack or meal. Make a healthy and satisfying PB&J using all-natural peanut butter, whole-grain bread, and low-sugar jelly. For a quick snack, spread peanut butter on rice cakes or whole-grain crackers. Add peanut butter to sauces, salad dressings, and smoothies to increase their protein content and add flavor. Peanut butter makes a tasty addition to yogurt and oatmeal. Enjoy it with fruit, such as apples or bananas, for a quick and vitamin-packed snack.
Summary
Peanut butter is high in healthy fats and protein, which makes it a healthy addition to your diet! It may contribute to good heart health and can lower your risk of chronic disease. Almond butter, cashew butter, and peanut butter are about equal in nutrient content, but peanut butter is the cheapest and easiest to find. As long as you aren’t allergic to it, there are no drawbacks to eating peanut butter – just watch the serving size!
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References
1. United States Department of Agriculture. Natural peanut butter. FoodData central. Published December 6, 2019. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/718824/nutrients
2. Sales JM, Resurreccion AVA. Resveratrol in peanuts. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(6):734-770. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.606928
3. Ask the doctor: Why is peanut butter “healthy” if it has saturated fat? Harvard Health. Published July 30, 2019. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/ask-the-doctor-why-is-peanut-butter-healthy-if-it-has-saturated-fat
4. United States Department of Agriculture. Almond butter. FoodData central. Published October 30, 2020. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1100555/nutrients
5. United States Department of Agriculture. Nuts, cashew butter, plain, without salt added. FoodData central. Published April 1, 2019. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170163/nutrients