Peanut Butter advice - Help!

Leeanne1974

Hi all
I am always reading how some of the guys on here eat peanut butter with celery etc and claim its a great food when you are dieting etc.
I had some sunpat crunchy peanut butter with Celery for my lunch and, yes, it was gorgeous.
It was only after I had a massive great dollop though that I logged it on here and nearly fainted with shock at the cals lol.
Can anyone please advise me if it has other benefits though that way out the high calorie thing?

I live in the UK and I have yet to find anywhere local to me that sells almond / cashew etc butter. Please don't recommend I eat that instead because I have looked for it but to no avail.
Thank you all so much in advance!
Leeanne x

mjsunshine16

I eat the Simply Jif - Fresh-roasted peanut taste with low sodium and 33% less sugar than regular Jif.

tlaker

there is PB2, i dont know if they sell it in the UK but its 45 calories for 2 tbsp and i actually like it and i'm a peanut butter lover. BUT my all time fav kind is Skippy ALL NATURAL. as long as you dont eat too much PB you will be okay. 2 tbsp wont hurt your diet in my opinion

WendyTerry420

You might try a low sugar peanut butter and spread just enough to taste it instead of globbing it. I was shocked when I first saw the calories in my peanut butter, too. It has such a strong flavor though, that I've found I don't really need as much as I had been using. A little bit goes a long way. Peanut butter on celery is one of my favorites. You can also try almond butter.

Also I agree with tlaker that Skippy All Natural is good too.

DizzyLinds

I live in the UK and have PB on celery as a snack..it's so nice! I use the Whole Earth PB and you can buy it in Tesco. I also get almond butter in tesco (called Meriden i think..smallish jar). The Whole Earth one is no added sugar.

tigersword

Peanut butter is high in healthy fats. Also, a very decent, although incomplete protein source (pairing it with wheat makes it a complete protein, hence the popularity of peanut butter sandwiches.)

invisibubble

I use Whole Earth No Added Sugar as well. It's gonna be high in calories and good fats though, but it's GOOD for you.

rml_16

Well, if it doesn't contain HFCS or trans fats, it is a healthy fat, for one thing. For vegetarians and vegans, it's a decent source of protein. It satisfies both sweet and salt cravings without a ton of sugar or salt. It tastes AMAZING on a spoon by itself or paired with nearly any other food on the planet. It's very filling.

I love peanut butter.

lady_in_weighting

dont eat low fat peanut butter what ever you do! they label it as such in the shops but it is just full of sugar and nasty rubbish. eat natural peanut butter and enjoy it as part of your daily kcal in take on toast or in porridge ect. if you want to try almond or cashew go to holland and barrett. They stock it!

akiramezu

eat something else, but no offence, you don't need it at all, in fact, stay away from it, it's highly dense in calories and i'm pretty sure you would eat more than a tablespoon worth lols

Flab2fitfi

there is PB2, i dont know if they sell it in the UK but its 45 calories for 2 tbsp and i actually like it and i'm a peanut butter lover. BUT my all time fav kind is Skippy ALL NATURAL. as long as you dont eat too much PB you will be okay. 2 tbsp wont hurt your diet in my opinion

Amazon uk sells it - have to hide it from the kids but makes great smoothies.

DryHeet

Another option is hummus. 2 tablespoons is 70 calories. I think its pretty good with celery.

UsedToBeHusky

It is high in healthy fats. I have recently learned that going low-fat could actually sabotage your progress. If you don't get enough mono and polysaturated fats in your diet, then your body could produce excess grehlin and cortisol. Both are hormones that can interfere with weight loss. Grehlin will cause you to feel hungry, and cortisol will hinder the fat burning process.

It has a fair amount of protein, but it is not as good of a source as meat.

abetterjune

do you have a food processor or blender (I use my bullet blender- works fine)? You can make your own nut butter with less (or no) sugar, or use an artificial sweetener, to cut calories.

Here's a great resource:
http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/06/07/homemade-almond-butter-other-nut-butters/

Seriously, though, I do this in my bullet and it works fine, just a bit of scraping down the sides.

WendyTerry420

Another option is hummus. 2 tablespoons is 70 calories. I think its pretty good with celery.

No offense, but ewwwwww, yuck! LOL

patchesgizmo

if you can get the natural peanut butter that is best, or at least look to see what is mixed with. Most are high in sugars or honey. I buy the natural pb which has no sugar or honey added. It is high in fats, but they are not the bad fats they are the good fats that your body needs. Body's need a certain amount of fats to continue to process normally, if you cut out all fat, you are harming your body.

IronSmasher

Well, I had to check what remote UK island you were living in... Kent!?

Go back to Tesco or Asda and try again. It's next to the peanut butter.

KatFierce

PB is actually pretty good for you, healthy fats great for hair, skin and nails, good amount of protein. I say get one that is only nuts no extra sugars and salts etc. Then pair it with some fiber like whole grain toast or crackers, some fruit like apple or some celery too and its a great snack/mini meal. In moderation its fine, but its an item I make sure to always measure as its easy to over do it.

inkandsheep

I live in the UK and I have yet to find anywhere local to me that sells almond / cashew etc butter. Please don't recommend I eat that instead because I have looked for it but to no avail.

Do you have any health food shops near you? Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods Market or small independent ones? They all stock a range of nut butters, many with no added salt/sugar etc.

I mostly use pb in baking to replace butter/margarine/oil. It's a healthier fat and I like the flavour, plus as a vegetarian I get protein from it.

Dragonwolf

do you have a food processor or blender (I use my bullet blender- works fine)? You can make your own nut butter with less (or no) sugar, or use an artificial sweetener, to cut calories.

Here's a great resource:
http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/06/07/homemade-almond-butter-other-nut-butters/

Seriously, though, I do this in my bullet and it works fine, just a bit of scraping down the sides.

This. All you really need is a food processor and the nuts or seeds that you want to make into butter. I've done this a few times with almonds (though I recommend adding an oil to the almonds to smooth out the texture; IME, almond butter with nothing but almonds tends to be kind of dry) and it's awesome.

Jill_newimprovedversion

Peanut butter is a good source of protein- and monounsaturated (GOOD) fat , as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Read/compare labels and opt for the one(s) you can find that are LOWEST in SODIUM and SUGAR.
Generally it's the natural ones and/or organic.
Note: Reduced fat ones are most often HIGHER in sugar/sodium (which is true of most reduced fat products)

If you find them not sweet enough, you can always sprinkle a little of your own preferred sweetener on top. I do this with stevia.

akiramezu

Peanut butter is a good source of protein- and monounsaturated (GOOD) fat , as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Read/compare labels and opt for the one(s) you can find that are LOWEST in SODIUM and SUGAR.
Generally it's the natural ones and/or organic.
Note: Reduced fat ones are most often HIGHER in sugar/sodium (which is true of most reduced fat products)

If you find them not sweet enough, you can always sprinkle a little of your own preferred sweetener on top. I do this with stevia.

Yeah with that being said, people knowing it's healthy, over eat it, and it's high in calories and before they know it, they've eaten 1000 fking calories worth of peanut butter, healthy or not, it's high in calories and not for irresponsible people with poor relationship with food, especially the obese people on here who are here to change their lives and their eating habits. I believe it's best to stay away from high caloric density foods such as peanut butter, because such a small serving is such high in calories, and i guarantee you the majority of people under estimate their servings and have more then they're really logging. Bet you anything, then they complain that their not losing weight or gaining more weight despite eating "healthy"

flyuk

Peanut butter is a good source of protein- and monounsaturated (GOOD) fat , as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Read/compare labels and opt for the one(s) you can find that are LOWEST in SODIUM and SUGAR.
Generally it's the natural ones and/or organic.
Note: Reduced fat ones are most often HIGHER in sugar/sodium (which is true of most reduced fat products)

If you find them not sweet enough, you can always sprinkle a little of your own preferred sweetener on top. I do this with stevia.

Yeah with that being said, people knowing it's healthy, over eat it, and it's high in calories and before they know it, they've eaten 1000 fking calories worth of peanut butter, healthy or not, it's high in calories and not for irresponsible people with poor relationship with food, especially the obese people on here who are here to change their lives and their eating habits. I believe it's best to stay away from high caloric density foods such as peanut butter, because such a small serving is such high in calories, and i guarantee you the majority of people under estimate their servings and have more then they're really logging. Bet you anything, then they complain that their not losing weight or gaining more weight despite eating "healthy"

Agreed 100%. Unless you weigh it precisely and count it as one of the ingredients of your daily food you might be on the nasty end of a bad week of weight loss. I use it to ensure I meet my targets as a booster to my calories. If I'm 500cal short in a day for example, I'll knock up a shake/sandwich with Peanut/Almond butter. Tastes nice, but not really essential to your diet, and especially not essential if you struggle to stay under your daily calorie requirements.

rml_16

Peanut butter is a good source of protein- and monounsaturated (GOOD) fat , as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Read/compare labels and opt for the one(s) you can find that are LOWEST in SODIUM and SUGAR.
Generally it's the natural ones and/or organic.
Note: Reduced fat ones are most often HIGHER in sugar/sodium (which is true of most reduced fat products)

If you find them not sweet enough, you can always sprinkle a little of your own preferred sweetener on top. I do this with stevia.

Yeah with that being said, people knowing it's healthy, over eat it, and it's high in calories and before they know it, they've eaten 1000 fking calories worth of peanut butter, healthy or not, it's high in calories and not for irresponsible people with poor relationship with food, especially the obese people on here who are here to change their lives and their eating habits. I believe it's best to stay away from high caloric density foods such as peanut butter, because such a small serving is such high in calories, and i guarantee you the majority of people under estimate their servings and have more then they're really logging. Bet you anything, then they complain that their not losing weight or gaining more weight despite eating "healthy"

Obese people know how to measure their food. Your post is extremely condescending.

If a person cannot control him or herself with peanut butter, that person might want to make the choice to not have it in the house. I've had to do that with certain foods myself. But not everyone is incapable of measuring a portion and sticking to it, just because that person happens to be obese.

Erica27511

Is there a store near you where you can get fresh peanuts ground through a machine? That's your best option. I have that done at Whole Foods locally where I live

flyuk

Obese people know how to measure their food. Your post is extremely condescending.

If a person cannot control him or herself with peanut butter, that person might want to make the choice to not have it in the house. I've had to do that with certain foods myself. But not everyone is incapable of measuring a portion and sticking to it, just because that person happens to be obese.

I think that's a bit unfair. Most obese people are like that because of their bad relationship with food. In your second paragraph you are actually agreeing that if you have food control issues you shouldn't put yourself in a position where you can be week. Same can be said of drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc...

UsedToBeHusky

Peanut butter is a good source of protein- and monounsaturated (GOOD) fat , as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Read/compare labels and opt for the one(s) you can find that are LOWEST in SODIUM and SUGAR.
Generally it's the natural ones and/or organic.
Note: Reduced fat ones are most often HIGHER in sugar/sodium (which is true of most reduced fat products)

If you find them not sweet enough, you can always sprinkle a little of your own preferred sweetener on top. I do this with stevia.

Yeah with that being said, people knowing it's healthy, over eat it, and it's high in calories and before they know it, they've eaten 1000 fking calories worth of peanut butter, healthy or not, it's high in calories and not for irresponsible people with poor relationship with food, especially the obese people on here who are here to change their lives and their eating habits. I believe it's best to stay away from high caloric density foods such as peanut butter, because such a small serving is such high in calories, and i guarantee you the majority of people under estimate their servings and have more then they're really logging. Bet you anything, then they complain that their not losing weight or gaining more weight despite eating "healthy"

I'm obese. Don't measure my food and have lost significantly and consistently. Maybe you shouldn't be making assumptions about people. Not everyone who is obese fails to comprehend the concept of moderation.

akiramezu

Peanut butter is a good source of protein- and monounsaturated (GOOD) fat , as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Read/compare labels and opt for the one(s) you can find that are LOWEST in SODIUM and SUGAR.
Generally it's the natural ones and/or organic.
Note: Reduced fat ones are most often HIGHER in sugar/sodium (which is true of most reduced fat products)

If you find them not sweet enough, you can always sprinkle a little of your own preferred sweetener on top. I do this with stevia.

Yeah with that being said, people knowing it's healthy, over eat it, and it's high in calories and before they know it, they've eaten 1000 fking calories worth of peanut butter, healthy or not, it's high in calories and not for irresponsible people with poor relationship with food, especially the obese people on here who are here to change their lives and their eating habits. I believe it's best to stay away from high caloric density foods such as peanut butter, because such a small serving is such high in calories, and i guarantee you the majority of people under estimate their servings and have more then they're really logging. Bet you anything, then they complain that their not losing weight or gaining more weight despite eating "healthy"

Obese people know how to measure their food. Your post is extremely condescending.

If a person cannot control him or herself with peanut butter, that person might want to make the choice to not have it in the house. I've had to do that with certain foods myself. But not everyone is incapable of measuring a portion and sticking to it, just because that person happens to be obese.

I wasn't being condescending, i was stating a truth. I was fat before because i over ate, underestimated how much i REALLY ate and didn't bother taking into consideration portion sizes. They are overweight and obese because they have or have HAD a poor relationship with food. I'm not saying they can't measure, i'm saying they are most likely going to eye out the peanut butter instead of measuring it, because i surely eye out my peanut butter and don't use a proper tablespoon measuring spoon.

akiramezu

I'm obese. Don't measure my food and have lost significantly and consistently. Maybe you shouldn't be making assumptions about people. Not everyone who is obese fails to comprehend the concept of moderation.

I'm not being mean, but your obese because you do fail to comprehend the concept of moderation.

UsedToBeHusky

Obese people know how to measure their food. Your post is extremely condescending.

If a person cannot control him or herself with peanut butter, that person might want to make the choice to not have it in the house. I've had to do that with certain foods myself. But not everyone is incapable of measuring a portion and sticking to it, just because that person happens to be obese.

I think that's a bit unfair. Most obese people are like that because of their bad relationship with food. In your second paragraph you are actually agreeing that if you have food control issues you shouldn't put yourself in a position where you can be week. Same can be said of drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc...

It's also a bit unfair to say that a specific portion of the population should reject peanut butter as a quality food because of its caloric density. People aren't fat from over-eating peanut butter. People are fat because they just don't care. If they care, then they are using this site to learn how to eat properly, and therefore, can recognize the nutritional value of peanut butter without overdoing it.

UsedToBeHusky

I'm obese. Don't measure my food and have lost significantly and consistently. Maybe you shouldn't be making assumptions about people. Not everyone who is obese fails to comprehend the concept of moderation.

I'm not being mean, but your obese because you do fail to comprehend the concept of moderation.

I never failed to comprehend the concept of moderation. I didn't care. There is a huge difference between the two.