Peanut Butter is a Good Source of....Protein??

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UponThisRock
UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This is an excerpt from a blog post I just posted. Below is the relevant portion. If, for some odd reason, you want to read the my stupid ramblings along with the relevant portion, it's located here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/UponThisRock/view/peanut-butter-is-a-good-source-of-protein-245431


Ok, enough with the conspiracy theories. How do I define "good source of protein?" Most people on MFP practice calorie restriction. If someone is trying to add protein to their 1800 calorie diet, a "good" source of protein would be something that is "dense" in protein, that is, you get a lot of protein for the amount of calories you eat. Comparatively speaking, peanut butter simply doesn't fit that bill. The following shows calories and protein per 100g, the data was taken from nutritiondata.com:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: 23g of protein/110 calories

Egg Whites: 11g/48 cals

Canned Chunk White Tuna: 26g/116 cals

Peanut Butter: 22g/ (brace yourself) 588 cals.

So, on a calorie restricted diet, how can you justify calling peanut butter a "good" source of protein? You can't. You have to eat 5 times as many calories to get the same amount of protein you would get in canned tuna.

Of course, the typical serving of peanut butter isn't 100g, it's 32g (2 tbsp). For 190 cals you get a not so whopping 8g of protein. If you insist on calling that a "good" source of protein, then in the interests of consistency, you also should call oatmeal a pretty good source of protein with 5g for 150 cals.

My point should be pretty clear by now. If someone asks how to add more protein to their diet, nuts or nut butter would be one of the last things I would recommend. There are so many more options that would add substantially more protein for a far less expensive calorie hit. Now, if they say, "but I'm vegan, how do I get protein with no animal products?" The proper answer to that would be, "I don't know, the same way you ice skate uphill, I suppose."
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Replies

  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    Thanks for this!
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
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    My older brother used to eat spoonfuls of it, and then scream at me. His breath was awful. I love peanut butter, but still shudder a bit when I get the first whiff out of the jar.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    My husband had a peanut butter granola bar for a midnight snack and then got back in bed and breathed right in my face. I usually like the smell of peanut butter but that was a gross smell to wake up to.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I think people just throw it out there because most of the people who can't figure out how to get protein in their diet are whining about what they don't like to eat. I think God daily that no one in my household is a picky eater. I adore the fact that my 6 year old son actually asks me questions about foods like, "is this heart healthy" or "is this protein?"
  • MyTime1985
    MyTime1985 Posts: 456 Member
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    bump
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Not everyone eats meat. For a vegetarian, peanut butter is a good source of protein.

    And in my opinion (and that of every medical opinion I've ever read) people here think they need far more protein than they actually do.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    What if I cover myself with the peanutbutter?


    Seriously, I figured out a while ago that peanutbutter kind of sucks as a source of protein. Along with the calories and veritable lack of protein, it is extremely high in fat. I love the stuff though... :cry:
  • SirBen81
    SirBen81 Posts: 396 Member
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    I agree with OP. I regard peanut butter as a good source of fat that happens to have protein on the side. I think most people who say peanut butter is a good source of protein are vegans, and they tend to call anything that isn't meat and has protein a good source of protein because they don't have much to choose from...
  • jizenna
    jizenna Posts: 49
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    Can I ask what brand of peanut butter this is based on? Is it a brand that adds sugar and oils? What about an organic peanut butter with nothing added but maybe some salt? Just curious.
  • raqueljoliemassoud
    raqueljoliemassoud Posts: 28
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    woah im never eating peanut butter again...
  • SNorris01
    SNorris01 Posts: 97 Member
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    Or you can use PB2:

    PB2: Powdered Peanut Butter
    Ingredients: Roasted peanuts, sugar and salt.
    Serving size: 2 Tablespoons (12 grams)
    Servings per container: 15
    Calories: 45
    Calories from fat: 13

    Value and % Daily Value*

    Total fat 1.5 g 3%
    Saturated fat 0 g 0%
    Trans fat < 0.01 g
    Cholesterol < 0.01 mg 0%
    Sodium 94 mg 4%
    Total carbohydrate 5 g 2%
    Dietary fiber 2 g 8%
    Sugars 1 g
    Protein 5 g
    Vitamin A < 1%
    Vitamin C 0%
    Calcium <1%
    Iron 0%
  • MsTanya77
    MsTanya77 Posts: 357 Member
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    My husband had a peanut butter granola bar for a midnight snack and then got back in bed and breathed right in my face. I usually like the smell of peanut butter but that was a gross smell to wake up to.

    ROFTLMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am glad for this post because for years ppl have thought that peanut butter is a great protein source and in fact, it isn't. LOL!!!!
  • Scott613
    Scott613 Posts: 2,317 Member
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    I wanna ice skate uphill. Sounds hard and fun.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
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    Not everyone eats meat. For a vegetarian, peanut butter is a good source of protein.

    And in my opinion (and that of every medical opinion I've ever read) people here think they need far more protein than they actually do.

    For vegetarians, beans or tofu (per 100g as in the OP) are a much better source of protein than PB.
  • jenalderman
    jenalderman Posts: 411 Member
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    Agreed. It might be better termed a "convenient" source of protein or a "quick" source of protein.
  • PepeGreggerton
    PepeGreggerton Posts: 986 Member
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    Nope, but it's good.
  • Rhea30
    Rhea30 Posts: 625 Member
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    Peanut butter is one of the foods I've had to cut back on since dieting because of its calorie and fat content :(. I love the stuff and would literally eat it everyday but its so loaded with calories to get enough that is filling. I was shock when I had to log it for the first time.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Not everyone eats meat. For a vegetarian, peanut butter is a good source of protein.

    And in my opinion (and that of every medical opinion I've ever read) people here think they need far more protein than they actually do.

    For vegetarians, beans or tofu (per 100g as in the OP) are a much better source of protein than PB.

    True. But just because it's not "best" doesn't mean it isn't "good."

    My PB has 8 grans of protein for 180 calories. And it fits very well into my far less than 1,800 calories a day.
  • paulagabay
    paulagabay Posts: 96
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    Thanks for this information and quite timely too my doctor told my husband and I to get more protein. I am watching my carbs and decided that beans with rice would put my carbs way over so I tried beans alone and my body is fatigued so I think that 8 grams of protein wasn't nearly enough so I told my husband to buy turkey sausage even though it would be more expensive. It is much cheaper than doctors bills though especially since I do heavy cardio 7 days a week.
  • raechellg
    raechellg Posts: 30 Member
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    i tend to use the peanut butter that is only peanuts. not that it's much better per say. but that on a healthier type of bread tends to help when i'm craving something like a candy bar. so i tend to use it as a substitute for a sweet snack not as a part of my everyday diet. but man i could eat lots of it cuz i looove it but i don't..

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