Is 2 tablespoons of Peanut butter a day OK?

leavinglasvegas

You think bananas are high in calories?? Most bananas are around 80-130 calories, which is far less than the peanut butter you're putting on it! Don't be afraid of "high calorie" foods that are natural - you just have to watch your portion sizes. 2 Tbsp of peanut butter plus a banana would be around 300 calories. It would make a good breakfast or perhaps a large post/pre workout snack. As long as you plan it into your day, it's not unreasonable at all.

I also eat peanut butter on light rye wasa crackers, bread, in smoothies, with apples, celery, etc.

I agree with the posters who said to buy natural PB - just be careful! Don't just pick up any jar that says natural (the use of the term "natural" is not regulated)... read the label. Ideally you should be buying one that has ONE ingredient: peanuts! There's no reason to buy one with added salt, sugar, oils, etc. It does take a little getting used to, it's not as sweet, but it's healthier for you and still full of peanut-buttery goodness.

Well said.:drinker:

toots99

and what can I have with it?

I used to eat a banana with my PB, but they seem to be pretty high in calories.

Any other suggestions?

You think bananas are high in calories?? Most bananas are around 80-130 calories, which is far less than the peanut butter you're putting on it! Don't be afraid of "high calorie" foods that are natural - you just have to watch your portion sizes. 2 Tbsp of peanut butter plus a banana would be around 300 calories. It would make a good breakfast or perhaps a large post/pre workout snack. As long as you plan it into your day, it's not unreasonable at all.

I also eat peanut butter on light rye wasa crackers, bread, in smoothies, with apples, celery, etc.

I agree with the posters who said to buy natural PB - just be careful! Don't just pick up any jar that says natural (the use of the term "natural" is not regulated)... read the label. Ideally you should be buying one that has ONE ingredient: peanuts! There's no reason to buy one with added salt, sugar, oils, etc. It does take a little getting used to, it's not as sweet, but it's healthier for you and still full of peanut-buttery goodness.

Perfect response.

susu5

I love peanut butter and I will get the natural peanut butter that only says "peanuts".

gooteek

PB, especially reduced fat PB is high in protein, so it CAN be a good addition to your diet in moderation. I use it to up my calories when I know I am a little low for the day. It is important not to drop too low below you target for calories or you will crash and end up carb loading to satisfy your bodies need for energy. Two TBSP of reduced fat Jiffy creamy is only 190 calories and rounds out my 1800 calories a day when I am close, but don't want to bust the 1800 target.

gooteek

Oh, another great alternative is Almond Butter (sold by PB in most stores), it has half the calories of PB.

zanAspera

Someone else mentioned a product called PB2, which is Peanutbutter with most of the fatty oils drained out. I oredered some and eagerly await arrival to try it. Yes, the fats in peanutbutter are good for you, at the margin, after that it's just more fat. I think 2 Tbsps are a good healthy amount, if you like more, switching to a lower calorie alternative is not a bad idea.

ChelseaRW

Smoothie time for that peanut butter. Freeze those bananas!! (in pieces) I like to blend those frozen banana pieces with a tiny bit of milk and a bit of peanut butter for a yummy smoothie!

jmgros84

I eat 1 tbsp PB on a whole wheat waffle and chop half a banana on top. It's so good and keeps me satisfied until lunch. If I don't eat PB for bfast then I will eat a tbsp before workout to give me energy. 1 tbsp is enough for me I find.

BrainyBurro

PB is a great food. really useful for hitting your fat macros.

don't listen to the food nazis above telling you that you should only buy those $8 per jar natural PB's which only include peanut butter. there's nothing wrong with the major brands either. sugar and salt are not the devil, despite what some people think.

i like PB on bread because that's most filling to me, but you can put it on celery if you want to save some calories. or just spoonfuls of it are fine. lots of people do that at the end of the day when they need a couple of hundred calories and some fats to finish out their intake and meet their IIFYM goals.

just make sure to measure your intake on a scale. 1 serving is less than you'd expect and you can't trust your eyeball to tell you how many grams you have on the spoon.