You may think of peanut butter as a treat from your childhood, but it is still a healthy food you can include in your diet. Even though they are biologically legumes, along with beans and lentils, peanuts have more similar nutritional facts to tree nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts. Peanut butter may be able to improve your overall nutrition.
Nutritional Background
An average 2 tbsp. serving of creamy peanut butter has 188 calories, 8g protein, 16g fat and 6g total carbohydrates, with 3g sugars and 2g of healthy dietary fiber, which may prevent constipation and help regulate your blood sugar. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center states that nutrients in peanut butter that may support heart health are vitamin E, folate, potassium and magnesium. Regular peanut butter has 147mg sodium per serving.
Healthy Fats
Unsaturated fats may be partly responsible for the nutritional benefits of peanut butter. Eating unsaturated instead of saturated fats may reduce your risk for heart disease, and a serving of peanut butter has nearly 8g monounsaturated fat and 5g polyunsaturated fat. A 2 tbsp. serving of peanut butter has less than 4g unhealthy saturated fat. Select a brand that does not have partially hydrogenated oils because they contain cholesterol-raising trans fats.
Weight Concerns
Obesity can increase your risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, and you might be worried that eating peanut butter cause weight gain. However, the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center states that people who regularly eat nuts or peanuts tend to have a lower weight than individuals who avoid nuts. When you add peanut butter into your diet, remember to compensate for the extra calories from peanut butter by decreasing your portions of other foods.
Considerations
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend eating nuts, seeds or peanuts four to five times per week if you are on a 2,000-calorie diet, and 2 tbsp. of peanut butter counts as a serving. The nutrition information is the same for creamy and chunky peanut butter, so you can choose whichever you like better. If you are concerned about your sodium or sugar intake, choose a low-sodium or no-sugar-added variety of peanut butter.
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