Peanut butter is a favored childhood treat, with many health benefits for both the young and the young at heart. Peanuts are high in antioxidants, rivaling fruit sources like blackberries and strawberries. Natural peanut butter is not harmful to insulin levels, but rather may cut your risk of developing diabetes.
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone secreted by your pancreas in response to foods consumed and glucose levels in your blood. Insulin works to move glucose in and out of your blood so it is available for your body to use for energy. When your body is unable to use insulin, fails to produce enough insulin or stops producing it altogether, diabetes mellitus results and excess glucose is present in your blood.
Nutritional Content of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is composed primarily of protein and fats. Natural peanut butter contains approximately 100 calories in a tablespoon. The nutrient breakdown is 5 g of protein, 8 g of fat, 1 g of sugars and 3 g of carbohydrates. According to nonprofit organization The Peanut Institute, peanuts have a low glycemic index rating of 14 and a glycemic load of 1. The glycemic load considers the amount of carbohydrate in a standard serving; diabetics may use it as a tool for keeping blood sugar and insulin levels within optimal ranges.
Blood Glucose Response
Peanut consumption may protect against diabetes. The Peanut Institute summarizes research of multiple studies, displaying the positive results of peanut butter and peanut consumption as a protective factor against the development of diabetes. A research study published in "The Journal of the American Medical Association" in November 2002 reports that women who consumed peanut butter five times or more per week had a significantly lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who consumed peanut butter almost never. Research published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in November 1984 indicates that peanut butter may also mitigate the effect of bread on blood glucose levels.
Additional Information
Natural peanut butter provides many other health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, lowering risk of heart disease and cancer, and assisting in weight management, according to The Peanut Institute. Peanut butter supplies you with a variety of vitamins, being rich in vitamin E, vitamin B-6, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid and thiamine. The Peanut Institute also states that peanut butter provides a host of minerals including magnesium, which has also been shown to decrease risk of metabolic syndrome.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Food and Insulin Release
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Glycemic Responses to Foods: Possible Differences Between Insulin-dependent and Noninsulin-dependent Diabetics; D.J. Jenkins, et al.; November 1984
- The Peanut Institute: Diabetes and Blood Sugar
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; Insulin Resistance and Pre-diabetes; October 2008
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Nut and Peanut Butter Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women; Rui Jiang, M.D.; November 2002
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