The Calories in a Teaspoon of Peanut Butter

The Calories in a Teaspoon of Peanut Butter
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Peanut butter is a healthy and nutritious food, and 1 tsp. of peanut butter contains approximately 32 calories. It can be eaten as a snack, or it can be included as an ingredient in certain dishes. Children love the taste of peanut butter, especially on bread with jelly. It is important to note that although peanut butter is commonly given to kids, parents should be cautious about giving peanut butter to a child for the first time since an allergic reaction to peanut butter can be fatal. The Minnesota Department of Health suggests that you introduce your child to peanut butter after the age of 2 so your child will be less likely to choke on this food.

Content

One teaspoon of peanut butter contains about 2.67 g of total fat. The amount of protein in a teaspoon of peanut butter is 1.33 g. Peanut butter is cholesterol free. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, peanut butter contains no trans fats, and it is rich in oleic acid that may be beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Some commercial brands of peanut butter contain hydrogenated oils.

Caloric Information

Information on the number of calories in 1 tbsp. of peanut butter is usually easy to find, but if you are interested in knowing how many calories 1 tsp. of peanut butter holds, you may find that that information is not so readily available. Knowing the calorie content of 1 tsp. of peanut butter helps you fine-tune your diet plan. You do not have to eat more than 1 tsp. of peanut butter to reap the health benefits peanut butter has to offer. This is good news for someone who is counting calories and anyone who needs to cut down on fat intake due to other health issues.

Function

A teaspoon of peanut butter does not seem like much, but a little goes a long way when it comes to flavor. You can add a teaspoon of peanut butter to oatmeal for a peanut flavor and some nutritious fat. Using peanut butter instead of butter is better for the health of your heart. If you are in a hurry and do not have time to make breakfast, you can slice an apple and smear the apple slices with a teaspoon of peanut butter. Eating peanut butter right off a teaspoon is a quick way of getting the fat your body needs.

Types

Peanut butter comes in a variety of textures and flavors, and you can find reduced-fat peanut butter. It might be surprising to know that the lower-fat version contains only 2 less calories per teaspoon than regular peanut butter. Other varieties include peanut butter with bits of chopped peanuts in it, peanut butter fortified with vitamins and minerals, honey-flavored peanut butter and peanut butter with and without salt.

Benefits

Since 1 tsp. of peanut butter is so low in calories, spreading 2 tsp. of peanut butter on a few crackers gives you the pleasure of enjoying peanut butter as a snack without taking in too many fat calories. Two teaspoons of peanut butter will give you 8 percent of your daily value of fat, fat that is mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, the kind of fat MyPyramid.gov recommends you consume.

References

Article reviewed by BudK Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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