Discover the 8 Health Benefits of Peanut Butter and side effects.Yes, as you read in the title, peanut butter has many properties that are very beneficial for the body.
Many have the belief that it is an artificial product that far from helping people harms them, but we inform you that it is not.
Believe it or not, peanut butter is very good for people, as long as it is not consumed in excess (like everything).
In the United States it is very popular, especially at children’s breakfasts or to take as a snack to school, college or office. But in the rest of the countries it begins to gradually gain in popularity.
It does not matter if it is the commercial version, an organic one or one that you can prepare at home. In each of these presentations you will get the benefits that we are going to comment on here.
And you are going to be surprised by some of them and also we are going to break some myths that there are around peanut butter.
Is peanut butter very greasy?
The first sensation that people have with peanut butter is that it contains a lot of fat and makes it a food that you should not consume because it will affect cholesterol and your cardiovascular system.
Here we are going to break that first myth, because it turns out that the fat in peanuts is healthy.
The one that your body needs to function well, like the same one that olive oil and nuts have . What in the world of health is called monounsaturated fat.
What you are right about is that it contains many calories, just like nuts themselves.
Therefore, you should consume peanut butter with great caution.
Ideally, you should accompany it with a few slices of whole wheat bread. No more than three at breakfast and spread a tablespoon, so that in this way you have the correct dose.
It is not recommended that you eat peanut butter directly, although if you prefer to do so, do not exceed one tablespoon per day.
You can also spread it on some fruits, such as bananas, because not only does it help them with muscle recovery, but it also gives them energy to continue with their routine.
Banana is one of the best fruits for a snack that you can combine with peanut butter.
But for you to finish convincing yourself that it is very healthy and you will feel better, as long as you consume it correctly. We are going to leave you the best benefits of peanut butter below.
Health benefits of peanut butter
The best health benefits of peanut butter are:
1- Benefits of peanut butter for anxiety
Eating a tablespoon of peanut butter on your sandwich or with your favorite fruit, whether for breakfast, dinner or a snack, you will avoid feeling the episodes of anxiety or hunger before the next meal.
This is due to the large amount of fiber that peanuts have that will offer you satiety and thus you will say goodbye to those desire to go for a sweet in the middle of the morning or afternoon.
If you want to lose weight, peanut butter will be of great help. Because in addition to being very tasty, it will allow you to get to your next meal without feeling that anxiety that always affects, especially in the first days of the diet.
Of course, remember that only one tablespoon per day.
2- Benefits of peanut butter for digestion
Due to its amount of fiber and the healthy fats that peanut butter has, it regulates several of the stomach’s processes.
One of them is to carry out a good digestion and thus avoid the presence of gas or abdominal bloating .
It also allows a regular transit through the intestine and you will not have problems with constipation . Soak everything if you accompany the peanut butter with a rich intake of fruits, which mostly have a lot of fiber and water.
3- Benefits of peanut butter for blood pressure
One of the reasons people always have high blood pressure is because they eat foods with a lot of salt.
Peanut butter can help you lower the sodium levels of the body due to its large amount of potassium.
The important thing is not to exceed the doses I would say recommended for calories.
4- Improves the immune system
Peanut butter contains a large amount of vitamins that are very important for the body and especially for the immune system to be high and alert.
This way you can stay away from many diseases.
Some of the vitamins it has are E, which is very good for the skin, hair and strengthening nails. It also has several of the B complex that is so important for various functions of the human body.
Its minerals include magnesium and phosphorus.
A large amount of potassium, which is beneficial for those who suffer from blood pressure because it removes sodium from the body. It also has a very good amount of calcium.
We cannot forget about folic acid which is so important to have always high hemoglobin. It is a positive way to beat anemia.
5- It is an antioxidant
One of the best health benefits of peanut butter is that it is an antioxidant.
Yes, peanut butter will also help you eliminate free radicals that you have in the body.
This is because it has resveratrol in its composition, which is a powerful antioxidant, which will act directly on these particles that harm the body and help prevent the presence of
cancer.
This antioxidant pays special attention to the skin, so it protects the appearance of wrinkles from UV rays. Prevents the destruction of cells thus preventing premature aging
6- Reduces cholesterol levels
Being made up of monounsaturated fat, peanut butter helps fight bad cholesterol in your body. Since it increases the presence of the good that when it passes through the arteries it takes off that fat deposited there and discards it.
That is good news for your heart, as your blood will flow much better.
7- Benefits of peanut butter for diabetes
If you are a person who suffers from sugar spikes or you are prone to being diabetic, peanut butter is for you.
It helps carry glucose to the cells and convert them into energy, this way it does not stay in the blood for long.
This is due to the amount of fiber that this food has.
This benefit of peanut butter occurs to a greater extent when you consume the one made at home or when you buy it in organic markets, since they have much less preservatives.
8- Helps muscle recovery
This is one of the best health benefits of peanut butter and without a doubt the reason why many fitness enthusiasts include it in their healthy diet .
Peanut butter has 25% protein for every 100 grams of this food. A fairly respectable amount, taking into account that our diet must be made up of 40% of this food group.
Proteins are very important to the body because they participate in many processes. For example, together with carbohydrates, they carry energy to the cells. So it allows you to stay active throughout the day.
In addition to this, proteins help a much faster recovery. Ideal for those who exercise regularly.
Also in the training of muscles , especially when you are in a state of rest, because it allows a much faster oxygenation.
If you are an athlete who demands daily in the gym, the calories that peanut butter gives you should not be a problem for you. Since you will have the necessary energy to be able to “burn” them, while you do your routine.
Remember that calories are a problem as long as you don’t lose them for the rest of the day.
And the best of all is that you can buy it ready at the supermarket or prepare it at home. But yes, if you are going to buy it, always choose natural peanut butter .
How to prepare peanut butter at home
To be able to enjoy all the benefits of peanut butter that we already mentioned. We are going to offer you a homemade recipe, because yes, it is possible to make it yourself.
It is very simple, you just have to follow it to the letter and you will enjoy breakfasts and snacks with a different touch.
Ingredients for homemade peanut butter
• 300 grams of peanuts in shell
Preparation
- Peel the peanuts and pour them into the food processor or blender. You will see how little by little it turns into powder and by the same oil that the peanuts have, it will gradually turn into paste.
- Regardless of the appliance you use, you must turn it off every so often, move the mixture and then continue. After 10 minutes you will have the right consistency.
In this way you can enjoy a very healthy peanut butter, without preservatives, with that fat that the body does need.
It is delicious.
What to eat peanut butter with
If you are not an expert with peanut butter and just now you want to start discovering the benefits it has. It is time for you to know that you can eat it alone or with someone.
From HBO we recommend that you do it more with the second option.
You can’t just spread peanut butter on a few slices of fresh or toasted bread. But it can be one more ingredient in your sandwich for breakfast along with a light cheese and turkey ham for example.
It can also go with lettuce or other vegetables of your choice.
It is also possible to eat it with your oatmeal waffles or with almond flour, the same as the pancakes that we like so much for breakfast.
Being a spread you can use it with various types of food.
If you like to eat fruit for snacks (and you didn’t eat peanut butter for breakfast) it is a good option to spread it along with banana, apple and pear, you don’t have to worry about the taste, it works very well.