If you're counting its calories and high fat content, peanut butter may not sound like a viable candidate for helping you lose weight. Take a further look at what peanut butter has to offer, however, and you may reconsider adding it to your daily diet --- in your morning smoothie or as a spread on sliced apples, for example. Along with its abundance of plant protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, peanut butter fills you up so you're less hungry.
Calories and Fat Content
Two tbsp. of peanut butter contains 190 calories and 16 g of fat, according to the Peanut Institute. While this sounds high, it doesn't preclude peanut butter as a healthy diet food. Dr. Walter C. Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, considers the whole package of nutrients and gives peanut butter a thumbs-up, equating the fat content with that of olive oil. He notes the numerous studies showing that regular peanut-butter eaters are less likely to develop heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those who avoid nuts.
Hunger Control
Peanut butter contains plant protein, high fiber, healthy carbohydrates and mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These factors all contribute to a feeling of satiety, so you're less likely to be hungry again soon after eating, according to a study conducted at Purdue University. The study found that those who ate peanut snacks didn't eat again for 2 1/2 hours, as opposed to 1/2 hour for those who ate high-carbohydrate rice cakes.
Blood Sugar Levels
Peanut butter has a glycemic index of 14 out of a possible 100. This low number indicates more stable levels of blood sugar. Pretzels, for example, with a glycemic index of 83, would raise and lower blood sugar more vastly, which would affect your energy levels and overall health as well as your feelings of hunger.
Nutritional Value
Peanut butter contains folate, copper, manganese, niacin, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, thiamine and the antioxidant vitamin E. It evens contains resveratrol, the phytochemical in red wine. This nutrient-rich content helps ensure that you get a healthy amount of vitamins and minerals.
Peanut Butter Diet
In "The Peanut Butter Diet," author Holly McCord describes how you can lose 1/2 lb. per week by eating peanut butter. The diet calls for reduced calorie intake, portion control, aerobic exercise and a daily serving of between 4 and 6 tbsp. of peanut butter. A positive review by the Diet Channel points out its slow weight loss, low calories and emphasis on what is undoubtedly a popular comfort food.
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