Let’s talk about peanut butter for a second and clear up some opinions you might have regarding healthy meals. The reason you don’t hear peanut butter being brought up in diets regularly is that peanut butter brands add preservatives and sugar to their products.
On top of that peanut butter comes with saturated fats. When you’re trying to avoid unhealthy food in your diet, popular opinion is you should avoid food that has saturated fats.
Having a better understanding of what peanut butter provides, how to shop for it, and what kind of saturated fats are inside peanut butter can give you a foolproof meal plan.
Saturated Fats, Not The Bad Guy
Just because there is saturated fat present it doesn’t mean it’s poisonous for your body. It’s perfectly ok to eat food with some saturated fat.
Trouble starts when you eat a lot of peanut butter and cause your arteries to clog. Peanut butter does contain a minor amount of saturated fat, but the majority is unsaturated or monounsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat doesn’t damage the body, it is beneficial. You can find unsaturated fats in the following food:
- olive oil
- canola oil
- peanut oil
- safflower oil
- sesame oil
Health Benefits
Peanut butter can vastly improve your health by lowering your cholesterol, reducing your chances of heart disease, and preventing type 2 diabetes. Those are just some of the long-term benefits of peanut butter. The combination of protein and fiber and unsaturated fats combine to give energy to the body throughout the day.
Peanut butter can also keep your brain healthy by releasing antioxidant enzymes that stop your mind from stressing.
Peanut Butter in Your Diet
One thing you have to understand about dieting is there is no magic food that helps you lose all your weight. Controlling your meal portions is key to a successful meal plan. Without controlling your peanut butter portions, you could gain weight instead of losing it.
2 tablespoons of peanut butter is ideal in your daily diet.
Use peanut butter to replace the unhealthy snacks in your day.
Satisfying Your Hunger
Adding peanut butter in your diet can be very satisfying. Following any meal plan is difficult with the ease and appeal of unhealthy food readily available.
A controlled portion of peanut butter in your diet can satisfy those unhealthy food cravings. Because peanut butter tastes so good it creates a feeling of satisfaction so you don’t feel cheated on a diet.
Taste is essential to following a meal plan. If you’re eating something that tastes good, the urge to eat unhealthy food disappears.
Picking The Right Peanut Butter
When buying peanut butter consider the following:
- sodium
- sugar
- sauce
Sodium in high levels masks the peanut flavor, so aim for low sodium and low sugar. Natural brands use half as much sugar compared to commercial brands.Try a peanut butter sauce variation – dripping peanut butter onto your food is a great way to introduce it into a meal plan. Looking out for those characteristics will tell if you’re buying healthy peanut butter.
Conclusion
Is peanut butter the secret sauce for your diet? Healthy portions of peanut butter can boost energy and satisfy hunger. When you’re at the store just look for the 3 S’s – sodium, sugar, and sauce to bring the right peanut butter to your meal plan.