Is Peanut Butter Healthy? Our nutrition expert finds a clear answer

By Ana Gandara

Can peanut butter be healthy? A nutrition expert answers this question and gives reasons why it can be valuable for the diet.

Aside from showing a soft spot for Brad Pitt's character in "Meet Joe Black," peanut butter has acquired a rather negative reputation precisely because it was introduced to American cinema and television as a key ingredient in the iconic peanut butter sandwich, who were not very "light". Precisely because it's the cornerstone of a cuisine based on ultra-processed produce, it's easy to view it as a high-calorie, greasy spread. That's not entirely untrue, but it doesn't necessarily mean that peanut butter is unhealthy (if chosen correctly). In fact, over the last few years, peanut butter has become a favorite ingredient of many healthy eating enthusiasts, adding it to all sorts of recipes like toast, porridge, or smoothies. So it's time to break the mold and ask some questions: is she healthy or not? Makes you fat, doesn't it? Is it an ultra-processed food - or is it even the opposite?

Yes, peanut butter is healthy

There is no need to prolong this debate unnecessarily: the nutritionist Elisa Escorihuela confirms that it has many more good qualities than is known. "Peanut butter is a highly nutritious food with many qualities. It's composed primarily of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are heart-healthy fats, or more colloquially known as "good fats," that help reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and control LDL cholesterol levels," explains the specialist, reminding us of what experts keep repeating: not all fats are bad.

But these are not the only advantages, because as Elisa Escorihuela points out: "It is a rich source of vegetable protein which, considering its high calorie density, can be a good ally when it comes to gaining muscle mass." In addition, this explains why it is used in recipes by people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and want to consume alternative proteins to those of animal origin. Finally, the expert points out that "its high fiber content helps improve the digestive tract and increases satiety, so peanut butter can also be a good ingredient when trying to lose weight".

Peanut Butter: It all comes down to product choice

At this point, and knowing about its many benefits, it's also important to know before adding peanut butter to your shopping cart that not all peanut butter is equally healthy. "It depends on the quality of the product we buy, as a lot of the peanut butter products have added sugar, which turns this delicious butter into a calorie bomb," explains the nutritionist. The good news is that you don't have to study complicated labels listing ingredients that you don't really know what they mean. In this case, the solution is very simple: "The product must name peanuts as the only ingredient, which, by the way, despite their name, are not nuts but actually belong to the group of legumes. If there are more ingredients on the label, we would be talking about a highly processed product speak," says Elisa Escorihuela.

Another very easy way is to make peanut butter at home, which the expert also recommends: "It always tastes better when you make it yourself, and it doesn't take more than two minutes to be crushed until the desired texture is achieved." It couldn't be easier, but if we'd rather buy it ready-made for convenience, the nutritionist confirms that "if we make sure the peanut butter is 100 percent peanuts as the only ingredient, it can be a good product to have more easily ".

Does peanut butter make you fat?

We know nut butters are high in fat, but it's the kind that's good for the body. Does that mean she doesn't make you fat? Not quite. "We shouldn't fear monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats because they are heart-healthy fats that help improve our health. While it's true that it's a calorie-dense food, that doesn't make it an unhealthy one. However, consumption should be moderate. Peanut butter is perfectly suitable for people who want to control their weight or lose weight, and it can be a very nutritious food for those who want to gain muscle mass," says Elisa Escorihuela.

In fact, the expert points out that "for weight loss, consumption in moderate amounts can be a very good strategy, since its high fiber content allows to influence the degree of satiety, it can also be a good alternative to sweets, when you suddenly get a yeeper for something sweet".

When and how to use peanut butter?

Instagram is full of recipes and ideas on how to use peanut butter in different ways. Chloé Sucree, for example, often uses them in her recipes. Nutritionist Elisa Escorihuela agrees that it's perfect for adding to various sweet dishes like a milkshake, pancakes or porridge. However, one of the easiest ways is to eat them with a piece of fruit. "A thin layer of peanut butter on top of a sliced ​​apple gives it a very flavorful touch. It also goes really well with bananas, for example by slicing them in half and topping them with a layer of peanut butter and chopped cashews," she recommends. It even works in savory dishes or snacks, "making it a food that can be used any time of the day and in a variety of recipes," she points out.

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What about other nuts?

There is a wide range of nut butters available these days (store-bought or homemade), with some of the most common types being almonds, hazelnuts, cashews or even pistachios, in addition to peanuts. Regarding these, the recommendations go in the same direction as for peanut butter: "Any nut butter that is free of sugar, sweeteners and other vegetable oils is recommended. The ingredients should only provide the respective nut type, as it consists mainly of fats. If you So, by crushing the nuts into their butter, it will be very easy to get the texture you want without adding extra oil As far as flavor goes, nuts have enough flavor of their own to require no sugar, sweeteners, or other flavorings to make a single ingredient is enough to obtain a rich, very nutritious and creamy butter," concludes the expert.

By Milagro Urquieta

This article originally appeared on Vogue.es

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