Celery and peanut butter together provide a nourishing snack. They won't spike your blood sugar the way sweeter snacks do because they both have a glycemic load value of zero, according to Self Nutrition Data. Glycemic load is a measure of how a particular food affects your blood sugar level. The crunch of celery and the creaminess of peanut butter complement each other, as do their nutritional aspects.
A Healthy Snack
You can eat celery cooked or raw---on sandwiches, in soups or salads. Celery has fiber and it's rich in vitamin K, which is necessary for blood to clot normally, according to the Mayo Clinic. A single stalk of celery will also provide up to 6 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A and 3 percent of vitamin C and calcium, making it good for your skin, vision, bones and immune system, according to Self Nutrition Data.
Peanut butter contains mostly "good" fats that are mono- and polyunsaturated, including the omega-3 fatty acids important for heart and brain health, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Peanut butter also has a lot of protein and iron---a serving of 2 tbsp. will provide you 8 g of protein and 4 percent of your daily iron requirement, notes Self Nutrition Data. And the vitamin C in celery will help you absorb iron in the peanut butter, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
A Quick Snack
Making a celery and peanut butter snack doesn't require you to cook or gather a lot of ingredients. Grab a celery stalk from the refrigerator, rinse it, spread a little peanut butter down the lane---and in less than one minute you have a yummy snack that's good for you. To add sweetness, sprinkle raisins or cranberries on the peanut butter.
A Feel Good Snack
When it comes to after-school snacks, celery sticks and peanut butter make the grade because they are filling, delicious and nutritious---and you'll feel good about giving them to your kids. Many kids who are less than enthusiastic about celery will eat it for the peanut butter. Dieters, too, may feel less deprived when they indulge in this healthy snack. A mid-morning or mid-afternoon pairing of celery and peanut butter will give anyone a tasty, nutritious boost.
References
- Self Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts: Celery: Raw
- Self Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts: Peanut Butter, Smooth Style, With Salt
- MayoClinic.com: Vitamin K (Oral Route, Parenteral Route)
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets: Vitamin C
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
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