Thoughts on Peanut Butter

Bump. I eat peanut butter alot also. Curious to see the responses.

peanut butter is good

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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."

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!

Well, your friend isn't up to speed on fats, apparently, because all fats are NOT bad. The bad ones are trans fats (man-made fat) and saturated fats (foods of animal origin such as meat, cream, butter, ice cream). The good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. One good source of information about all this is WebMD, kind of an everything-you-want-to-know-about-fats site. As for peanut butter: peanuts are legumes, not nuts (other examples of legumes are lentils and split peas). The primary fat in PB is monounsaturated (good); PB also packs a good amount of protein in a small (2 Tbsp) serving. I try to steer clear of Jif/Peter Pan/Skippy etc., because of the hydrogenated oil and the sugar, instead opting for the Smucker's or some other 'natural' brand, the kind where the oil is stirred into the pb. Not everyone likes stirring their pb, mind you, and we're so used to having our pb smooth and sweet that the natural tastes, well, unnatural. Anyway, my advice would be to research this yourself, stop listening to your friend(s), and read labels. There are worse things to slap on your thighs than peanut butter...

Gayle

It's good stuff. Plus, it's tasty on a PB&P (peanut butter and pickle)

I like to have some peanut butter on crackers or toast as snack. Peanut butter can be good for you as it's a good source of protein and natural fats. Just stick to the natural peanut butters (the ones with the oil on top that you have to stir and store in the refrigerator). Otherwise they're loaded with extra sugars and preservatives.

Agreed. Also, you can buy "no stir" natural peanut butter.

bah! Do your research! Like everyone has been saying its healthy fat! Its good protein and add 2 slices of wheat and you have a great bedtime snack! and post work out snack too! Plus most of the fat can be used as fuel during workouts just like olive oil.

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!

On the money. As most everyone has said your friend is completely wrong. But it should be natural. I recently switched, as I love peanut butter, but the major brands have too many ingredients. Peanut butter should only have two ingredients: peanuts and salt.

As for your friend, I wouldn't take any more food advice from them.