One of your favorite comfort foods from childhood can actually help you lose weight. Despite its high fat and calorie content, peanut butter can be part of a healthy weight loss plan. Peanut butter has special qualities that make it especially satisfying for people trying to cut calories. Peanut butter is also loaded with heart-healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, making it a good bang for your buck when controlling calorie intake.
Significance
Peanut butter contains 188 calories and 16 g of fat per 2-tbsp. serving. Many weight loss diets restrict calorie intake to between 1,200 and 1,500 calories daily. Just one serving of peanut butter represents about 12 to 15 percent of this allowable intake.
Fat
The majority of the fat in peanut butter is mono- and poly-unsaturated, which can help lower your blood cholesterol when consumed instead of saturated fats, such as those found in butter. Fat is important in your diet, especially when restricting calories, because it takes longer to digest and can help you feel full. Even when dieting, you should consume between 20 and 35 percent of calories from fat to support vitamin absorption, healthy skin and hair and hormone production.
Satiating
Peanut butter can also help reduce spikes in blood sugar when you eat refined carbohydrates. This helps prevent tremendous swings in hunger levels that stimulate cravings and binges. A study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in August 2010 found that adding peanut butter to the diet does not cause weight gain and positively impacts cholesterol levels. Researchers surmise that people compensate for the extra calories in peanuts and peanut butter by eating less of other foods during the day. The protein and fiber in peanut butter may contribute to its satiating properties.
Considerations
Adding peanut butter without reducing total calorie intake will not result in weight loss. If you permit yourself foods you love, such as peanut butter, while dieting, you may be less likely to feel deprived. Use peanut butter as a satisfying diet snack on celery or apples, at breakfast on toast or as a sweet treat on a graham cracker after dinner.
References
- "British Journal of Nutrition;" Effects of Peanut Processing on Body Weight and Fasting Plasma Lipids; F. McKiernan, et al.; Aug. 2010
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association;" Vinegar and Peanut Products as Complementary Foods to Reduce Postprandial Glycemia; Carol S. Johnston, et al.; Dec. 2005
- CNN: 5 Foods that Should Have a Place in Your Diet
- "International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders;" Effects of Chronic Peanut Consumption on Energy Balance and Hedonics; C.M. Halper, et al.; Aug. 2002
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