Thoughts on Peanut Butter

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Tvstarbabe
Tvstarbabe Posts: 101
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been eating healthy and everyday I have peanut butter with something; either apples or crackers, etc. I have noticed that the label does say it has a lot of fat, 16g for 2 tablespoons! I have always heard it was good fat though, then the other day my friend told me that no fat is "good fat" and that it will stick right to the thighs and stomach! What do you guys think? Is it a good healthy choice?
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Replies

  • Mandakat17
    Mandakat17 Posts: 105
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    bump
  • julslea
    julslea Posts: 436 Member
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    Bump. I eat peanut butter alot also. Curious to see the responses.
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
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    Dietary fat doesn't instantly become body fat. That thinking is archaric. Low fat doesn't mean Low calorie. A bad of Twizzlers is "Fat Free" Does that mean it's nutritionally good for you? I think not.

    Peanut Butter is generally all natural, high in protein as well as several healthy essential fats to include in your diet!

    Fat simply contains more calories/gram than Carb and Protien (9 cals/g for fat and 4 cals/g for carb/protein) so by that account, eating alot of fat brings in more calories....but eating less fat, doesn't necessarily mean less calories in the total.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
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    peanut butter is good
  • Mandakat17
    Mandakat17 Posts: 105
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    Me too. If I need the extra calories at the end of the day, I will eat an apple dipped in peanut butter...it's an easy way to get those extra calories in.
  • nancymmorris
    nancymmorris Posts: 310
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    I eat a lot of peanut butter too. I love it and it is a great source of protein. Don't know about the facts of good fat and bad fat, but I do know you need some fat in your diet.
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    i like peanut butter. i don't think you should stop eating it. a bit of what you fancy does you good. don't forget that this is a lifestyle change so it's important not to feel deprived, or you won't stick to it.
  • allegram
    allegram Posts: 117
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    Sure, its good fat, but too much of anything isn't good. I love peanut butter and limit myself one serving per day (with bananas, ezekiel bread etc) because the calories themselves really add up.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,112 Member
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    It is the good kind of fat, but you still need to watch your macros. (Carbs, Fats, Proteins) and try to keep them in line. Too much of any fats will cause your weight loss to stall. It just doesn't clog your arteries while it's making you stall.


    The other bad thing about peanut butter, is it tends to make you want lots more of it. Have you noticed??? I have to be really careful around a jar of organic creamy unsalted PB. IJS...:wink:
  • SabrinaJL
    SabrinaJL Posts: 1,579 Member
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    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    Everything in moderation. I have peanut butter everyday too. Love it and a tblsp a day satisfies me. There are good and bad fats, its my understanding PB contains good fat. You do need healthy fats in your diet.

    As for the fat sticking to certain areas, honestly have never heard of such a thing. Don't think certain fats migrate to certain body partd,lol. But i could be wrong!
  • KaseyWB
    KaseyWB Posts: 15
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    I love peanut butter too and eat a small amount almost every day. Your body does need fat to function normally but like everything else moderation is important. Yes some fats are better for you than others. But peanut butter in moderation is fine.
  • Pete46237
    Pete46237 Posts: 5
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    Hey JWDT. I'm not a nutritionist, or an expert in any way whatsoever, LOL. All I can do is share what I've heard from an old personal trainer I used to go to. From what I know, the "good fats" (the monounsaturated ones) are the ones that aren't solid at room temperature. In other words... Olive oil, good fat. Butter, not-so-good fat. Peanuts fall into the monounsaturated category, so as far as fat goes, they're not supposed to be of the evil kind :) With that being said, they sure do pack alot of calories in to a small amount of food.

    I think at the end of the day, the old cliche saying is still the best advice. "All things in moderation". Plus, if you just plain ol' like peanutbutter, then depriving yourself of it will just make you miserable :) My guess... a couple tablespoons a day is just fine and dandy.
  • doodledaze
    doodledaze Posts: 33 Member
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    I've been to diabetic couseling with two different nutritionists and both recommended peanut butter, in reasonable portions, as a healthy snack. Just measure and count it!
  • Heather3186
    Heather3186 Posts: 67
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    I love peanut butter too, but am now more aware of the serving size. I've learned a little can go a long way and never realized I was eating way over 1 or even 2 servings before. I eat 1 serving with celery sticks or rice cakes!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    There are such things as good fats and bad fats. You want omega three fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats. Avoid trans fats and saturated fats like the plague. They are bad for you and cause all sorts of illnesses. Any type of all natural nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut ect) is an excellent source of protien, healthy fat and nutrients. Just make sure it is all natural. My two favorites are White Chocolate Wonderful Peanut butter and Marantha no stir creamy almond butter. Eat peanut butter in moderation. I personally have a PB&J every day. It helps keep me full and its satisfying. Just make sure you are eating one serving size only. Take the time to measure out high calorie stuff.
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
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    We have to have "good fats" in our diet. I ate peanut butter daily for the longest time, then I read that it can be carcinogenic because of a mold that grows on the plant. Peanuts are actually a legume, not a nut, and since they grow underground, I guess they can get moldy. Ick. So I switched to almond butter and it's definitely much more delicious! Almonds are full of good fats and fiber. Walnuts are better, they have Omega-3s. 1 or 2 T. of nut butter daily is good for you. Same with avocado. And olive oil or walnut oil. In small amounts, of course. Your body needs good fats to operate smoothly.
  • Ladydi1982
    Ladydi1982 Posts: 218 Member
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    Your friend is very wrong about all fat being bad. Fat is necessary for pretty much all bodily functions and if you think about it, why would natural food like peanuts, avocado and coconuts (to name a few) have a particularly high fat content?

    I copied and pasted this from the webmd website (pg 1 of 4) click on the link to read the whole article:

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats

    The Skinny on Fat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats
    How fats fit into your healthy diet.
    By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
    WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-FeatureReviewed by Louise Chang, MDFat, fat, fat! Would all of our weight loss problems be solved if we just eliminated fat from our diets? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. We actually need fats -- can't live without them, in fact. Fats are an important part of a healthy diet: They provide essential fatty acids, keep our skin soft, deliver fat-soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel. But it's easy to get confused about good fats vs. bad fats, how much fat we should eat, how to avoid artery-clogging trans fats, and the role omega-3 fatty acids play in heart health.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults get 20%-35% of their calories from fats. At a minimum, we need at least 10% of our calories to come from fat.

    The problem is that the typical American diet is higher in fat: Roughly 34% to 40% of our calories come from fat. Why? Because they taste so good and are widely available in our food supply. Fats enhance the flavors of foods and give our mouths that wonderful feel that is so satisfying.

    Does Dietary Fat Make You Fat?
    So you might assume that fat is to blame for the obesity epidemic now plaguing our nation. Actually, fat is only part of the problem. Obesity is much more complicated than just overeating a single nutrient. Eating more calories -- from fats, carbohydrates, protein, and alcohol -- than you burn off leads to weight gain. Simply put, people who get little physical activity and eat a diet high in calories are going to gain weight. Genetics, age, sex, and lifestyle also weigh into the weight-gain formula.

    That said, dietary fat plays a significant role in obesity. Fat is calorie-dense, at 9 calories per gram, while carbs and protein have only 4 calories per gram, and alcohol has 7 calories per gram. It's easy to overeat fats because they lurk in so many foods we love: french fries, processed foods, cakes, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, thick steaks, and cheese.

    And eating too much fat does more than expand our waistlines. Our love affair with fat has helped to trigger an increase in the rates of type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease.

    "Choosing the right types of dietary fats to consume is one of the most important factors in reducing the risk of developing heart disease," says Tufts University researcher Alice Lichtenstein. DSc.

    But while choosing healthier fats is better for your heart, when it comes to your waistline, all fats have about the same number of calories. And cutting the total fat in your diet not only helps you shed pounds, it can also help you live longer and healthier.

    "There is a strong association between being overweight and many types of cancer, especially breast cancer among postmenopausal women, and colon cancer," says Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, nutrition and physical activity director for the American Cancer Society.

    "Eating less total fat will not directly lower your cancer risk, but it will help you control your weight -- which in turn can reduce your risk of cancer."
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
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    We have to have "good fats" in our diet. I ate peanut butter daily for the longest time, then I read that it can be carcinogenic because of a mold that grows on the plant. Peanuts are actually a legume, not a nut, and since they grow underground, I guess they can get moldy. Ick. So I switched to almond butter and it's definitely much more delicious! Almonds are full of good fats and fiber. Walnuts are better, they have Omega-3s. 1 or 2 T. of nut butter daily is good for you. Same with avocado. And olive oil or walnut oil. In small amounts, of course. Your body needs good fats to operate smoothly.

    its gonna take more than cancer threat to make me give up my peanutbutter, though almond butter is good for a change, nothing takes the place of peanut butter (though oddly enought i am not a big peanut eater)
  • milanfan15
    milanfan15 Posts: 4
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    Most common peanut butters (jif, peter pan, etc...) contain hydrogenated oils which are very bad for you. If you really want to "go healthy" get yourself some all natural organic peanut butter. There is no added sugars. I like the crunchy.... I didn't at first, but now I love it!

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