Peanut butter is an affordable, natural source of calories and protein for bodybuilders. If you are bulking up for a competition, or if you are simply seeking to add size and tone to your muscles, consider making peanut butter a regular part of your diet. In addition to providing calories and protein, peanut butter also provides you with protein, folate, vitamin E, magnesium and resveratrol. A small amount of zinc, which aids your immune system, is also present in peanut butter.
Benefits
In addition to its mono- and polyunsaturated oil content, peanut butter is a calorie-dense food. Consuming just 2 tbsp. of it will provide you with nearly 200 calories. This serving size also provides you with about 7 g of protein. On average, a 140-lb. athlete needs between 70 and 100 g of protein per day. If you are closer to 200 lbs., you may require as many as 150 g.
However, you would have to eat between 10 and 20 peanut butter sandwiches per day to get all of this protein from peanut butter. But you can still add it to meals as a substitute for other foods that may be higher in unhealthy fats or preservatives and, if you are on a vegetarian diet, it is a good substitute for protein-rich meats.
Affordability
Bodybuilding.com presents a cost comparison between peanut butter and other calorie-rich foods. To gain 100 calories from peanut butter, you consume a little over 1 tbsp. The cost for that tablespoon averages out to about one-eighth the cost of 100 calories from cottage cheese or tuna, and one-tenth that of turkey breast meat. In 2010, the cost of 2 tbsp. of peanut butter was about 14cents. Compare this to the $1.49 or more you would spend on 200 calorie protein bar and the difference in price becomes readily apparent.
Complete and Incomplete Proteins
Complete proteins are those that contain ample amounts of essential amino acids. In general, these are found in animal proteins such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. The proteins in peanut butter are incomplete. You need to combine peanut butter with other sources of protein to consume the same amounts of essential amino acids you get from meats and dairy.
Some convenient additions to peanut butter include a whole-wheat bun with sesame seeds and hummus made from chickpeas and sesame paste. You may also try eating peanut butter on rice cakes to supplement its incomplete proteins.
Other Foods With Peanut Butter
The online Bodybuilding Competition Guide notes that some other foods can compliment peanut butter and greatly increase your protein intake. Meal replacement powders, or MRPs, are a common way for bodybuilders to consume nutrients without the unwanted weight gains associated with eating some foods.
The website recommends combining one MRP with two bananas, a large tablespoon of peanut butter and four or five scoops of whey protein. Mix these with enough water to produce a half-gallon drink for a combination of protein and calorie-rich food. A simple glass of milk may also augment your protein intake while eating peanut butter, adding about 21 grams of protein to that which you get from peanut butter alone. By combining foods, you both broaden the spectrum of nutrients available and increase the calories you take in.
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