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Reduced Fat Peanut Butter = CRAP!

iarookie
iarookie Posts: 140
in Food and Nutrition
OMG- My husband had a tantrum at the store the other day thinking that a sign posted about PB was in error ..... It turns out the sign was correct and the PB people are really the ones in error! This is crazy! Reduced Fat Peanut butter is BAD FOR YOU!!!


This was from Mens Health Mag.. http://eatthis.menshealth.com/node/77579



The Truth About Your Food
The Truth About... Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
Nothing makes a PB&J feel less indulgent like a scoop of low-fat Jif. It’s low fat, so it must be better for you . . . right?

The truth: A tub of reduced-fat peanut butter indeed comes with a fraction less fat than the full-fat variety—they’re not lying about that. But what the food companies don’t tell you is that they’ve replaced that healthy fat with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbs, double the sugar, and a savings of a meager 10 calories.

What You Really Want: The real stuff: no oils, fillers, or added sugars. Just peanuts and salt. Smucker’s Natural fits the bill, as do many other peanut butters out there. We especially like Peanut Butter & Co. Original Smooth Operator and Original Crunch Time.

Replies

  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    I'm a big fan of the real thing. I tend to stay away from anything that says "reduced calorie" or "reduced fat" on it. The real thing is more satisfying. Like salad dressings. Or cheese. What we really need to learn is portion control.
  • spinurbuttoff
    spinurbuttoff Posts: 74
    This is a great tip! Thank you!
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    It's not just the PB either. I have come to realize the more simple and 'real' the food is the better it is for my body. Fiber seems to work that way too. Fiber that exists naturally in food does awesome things. Fiber thrown into a product to make pretty numbers - meh.
  • SarahLovesCheesecake
    SarahLovesCheesecake Posts: 520
    OMG- My husband had a tantrum at the store the other day thinking that a sign posted about PB was in error ..... It turns out the sign was correct and the PB people are really the ones in error! This is crazy! Reduced Fat Peanut butter is BAD FOR YOU!!!


    This was from Mens Health Mag.. http://eatthis.menshealth.com/node/77579



    The Truth About Your Food
    The Truth About... Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
    Nothing makes a PB&J feel less indulgent like a scoop of low-fat Jif. It’s low fat, so it must be better for you . . . right?

    The truth: A tub of reduced-fat peanut butter indeed comes with a fraction less fat than the full-fat variety—they’re not lying about that. But what the food companies don’t tell you is that they’ve replaced that healthy fat with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbs, double the sugar, and a savings of a meager 10 calories.

    What You Really Want: The real stuff: no oils, fillers, or added sugars. Just peanuts and salt. Smucker’s Natural fits the bill, as do many other peanut butters out there. We especially like Peanut Butter & Co. Original Smooth Operator and Original Crunch Time.

    Peanut butter is healthy?....no way! You dont say!
  • bustertriscuit
    bustertriscuit Posts: 13 Member
    It's always been pretty obvious that you're not saving much with the reduced fat peanut butter. However, it's my favorite because it seems like it's not as oily as the other kind; it's somewhat dry. I like the Skippy reduced fat.
    Anyhow, I didn't know they replaced with malodextrin.
    That sucks eh?
    What would make sense to me is if they offered peanut butter with Splenda or at least a reduced sugar variety. I do know they sell the natural kind, with just peanuts and salt, etc. but I always wondered why there wasn't one with an artificial sweetener. Not that THAT is good for you but still. I think I may have seen a variety or two like that but not from a national brand.
    Peanut Butter & Co makes good peanut butter and it's fairly natural. My favorite is called The Bees Knees and it's basically peanut butter sweetened with honey. I believe the others are sweetened with cane juice.
    PB seems like such a splurge; I'm afraid to eat it while in my weight loss phase!
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    There's a LOT of sugar in many PBs. :( Makes me angreh.
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
    I always get the natural reduced sodium.
    The fat in peanut butter is the good kind! Why would I want to get of it!?!?

    Reduced fat anything is a marketing scam imo.
  • Becca_007
    Becca_007 Posts: 596 Member
    Fresh ground nut butters, nothing like it in the world. None of the extra crap tossed in that can't be identified:noway:

    Reduced fat, reduced sugar, low sodium = adding more of the others to bring the flavor back. If you read the back of a label of low sodium food, you'll see it has higher sugar or fat. The same applies to yogurts that are low fat, the sugar amount in them is crazy! Reduced sugar? The fat amounts added back are ridiculous.

    I no longer buy into that, once you start reading labels you realize the game and understand that purchasing the Real Food itself is by far healthier and tastier. :wink: :flowerforyou:
  • jayb123x
    jayb123x Posts: 138
    Agreed! The list of ingredients on anything reduced fat or fat free is scary. Portion control is key.
    I'm a big fan of the real thing. I tend to stay away from anything that says "reduced calorie" or "reduced fat" on it. The real thing is more satisfying. Like salad dressings. Or cheese. What we really need to learn is portion control.
  • juliecat1
    juliecat1 Posts: 3,450 Member
    I try to steer clear of most "low fat" "low cal" foods. Theyre usually processed and full of worse stuff than the full version. But..... PB is a major love of mine and I denied myself any because it was so bad for you. I found PB2 and as far as I can tell its natural with no additives. Its REALLY good too! And even less fat and calories than light PB.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I like natural peanut butter but DH looked at it with the saddest face-it was griity and oily and nothing like his beloved creamy JIF so he still gets the JIF and I usually get almond butter.
  • comcatee
    comcatee Posts: 48 Member
    I switched to natural peanut butter a couple years ago and now I hate "normal" peanut butter (JIF, Skippy etc.) Natural is just sooo peanut-y and delicious and the normal ones taste like plastic to me now lol.

    The BEST peanut butter I've ever tasted is from Parkers Farm. All natural, just peanuts and salt. And it is already premixed (it is in the refrigerated section) so it's not all oily on top, which sometimes deters people from the natural peanut butters.
  • jparsons27
    jparsons27 Posts: 61
    Thanks fo sharing this! I can't have any type of peanut butter in my house :( I'll eat it all no matter if it natural or not!
  • anacsitham5
    anacsitham5 Posts: 810 Member
    I like peanut butter, but just tried the Maranatha Organic cruncy almond butter and LOVE it. It's only danger is that I could eat the whole jar in one sitting. I could just use a spoon and eat it all~
  • csch79
    csch79 Posts: 37 Member
    Thanks fo sharing this! I can't have any type of peanut butter in my house :( I'll eat it all no matter if it natural or not!

    That's my problem. Peanut butter is one of the few things that I seem to lose self control with. I could eat a whole jar of Smucker's natural peanut butter straight out of the container with a spoon.

    I still buy it once in a while but not nearly as often as I used to.

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