Is peanut butter bad to eat?

I have been adding a little peanut butter in to my oatmeal or eating it w/ an apple. Is that bad and will it put a damper on my loosing weight?

Tue. Jun 7, 2:58pm

Peanut butter has a LOT of fat, calories, sugar in it. Have you tried the all-natural kind, like Adams or Laura Scudders? If you really like peanut butter it's probably better to buy that than the regular brands. I know the natural stuff has less sugar, that's for sure.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 3:01 PM

Everything is fine in moderation. Usually when I do PB, i only use 1 TBSP (serving size is 2 TBSP) Just make sure you are counting it in your daily calorie allotment!

Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 3:02 PM

Just remember that peanut butter that is not organic or natural often has added hydronated oils and high fructose corn syrup. Neither of those things are good for you! Try cashew butter or almond butter from a health food store like Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Much better option, in my opinion.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 3:08 PM

heard peanuts are a type of carcinogens

If you still want the protein, I agree with above. cashew and almond butter are extraordinary.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 3:13 PM

Yeah, but at some point or other, almost *everything* has been labeled a carcinogen. If I didn't eat anything that was at one point labeled as "bad" for me, I'd be living a ridiculously limited life. No thanks.

If you like peanut butter, I say eat it. I love the natural peanut butters available now, as they're not only better for you w/out all the processed stuff, but I also think they taste SO much better! Definitely eat in moderation, as a little goes a long way in terms of cal and fat content. A little peanut butter is very satisfying, so there's really no need to go overboard anyway.

I usually eat some with breakfast to just add a bit of protein and fat, especially with a multigrain or whole wheat english muffin. Also, if I have an intense sweet/hunger craving, I get out a small cereal spoon, get some peanut butter on it, and eat it slowly. Very satisfying if I don't have anything else around.

Wednesday, June 8, 2005, 10:17 AM

Agreed - Everything in Moderation

When my appetite increases (from harder workouts or hormones) I find that just 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on a small whole wheat pita at breakfast will really help to stave off the hunger for a while, thanks to the fat and protein.

I buy only organic peanut butter (Trader Joe's). Peanuts are one of those foods that have extraordinarily high pesticide content. Ick.

- melissa

Wednesday, June 8, 2005, 11:12 AM

Don't deprive yourself.

The reason "diets" don't work for most people is that they feel deprived, and then they feel sad about it and even angry that they can't eat what they want. In addition, most people diet by restricting their calories so much that they mess up their metabolism. Finally, in my experience, the biggest problem with a diet is that we see it as a short-term fix--we go on a diet, and then we go off--without learning any valuable lessons along the way.

I love PB, too! I buy the natural variety (not my favorite) because after reading the labels I knew it was the best choice and was acceptable--more acceptable for me then giving up something I love entirely. I make up for it, too, but buying natural no sugar added preserves and using Natural Ovens brand bread which has no High Fructose Corn Syrup (the devil as far as I'm concerned), and overall with the reduction in calories from the sugar in the preserves and bread I've made a moderate calorie snack out of something I've always been told is off limits if I'm dieting. What's best is I can eat this for the rest of my life and be satisfied--I'm not deprived, I'm not sad, and I'm not angry. In fact, I feel really happy whenever I have a PB n J sammy!

The tip about cutting the serving in 1/2 is absolutely true. I am completely satisfied with 1 tbsp on my toast or sammy--2 tbsp is almost too much for me, now. I do the same thing with real mayo--I eat veggie phoney balony instead of real balogna, eat "good" bread, and have 1/2 the serving of mayo (instead of a full serving of light mayo that has hydrogenated oils and HFCS in them), and the calories are a wash, and I feel like I've been decadent and really treated myself.

Eat what makes you happy--don't deprive yourself--but be sensible. In the end it's about eating nutritious food with a moderate calorie count so that you can maintain those healthy eating habits for a lifetime.

Wednesday, June 8, 2005, 12:05 PM

Natural peanut butter (made without added sugar or hydrogenated oil) is delicious and nutricious. Stick to a single serving or less and be aware that nuts and nut butters are higher in calories than some other foods.

Thursday, June 9, 2005, 8:59 PM

natural peanut butter rocks, LOVE the stuff. but remember cause its natural, no chemicals, it will go bad (keep it in the fridge) where Skippy can stay on the shelf for years!

Friday, June 10, 2005, 12:20 PM

PB Alternative

Have you heard of BETTER THAN PEANUT BUTTER from Trader Joe's? It was actually kind of staple in my diet a few years ago, high in protein, low in fat, and no added sugar! It tasted pretty damn good--- feels like "cheating!"

Sunday, June 12, 2005, 3:50 AM

Fabuous Points Above!

Great points, thanks for contributing!

Sunday, June 12, 2005, 3:52 AM

Peanuts are very good for your health

It is a a great substitute for meat or dairy. According to every detox book I have read, those things clog up or congest your system. Nuts in general are foods conducive to health.

From WHFoods:

Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. In one such randomized, double-blind, cross-over study involving 22 subjects, a high monounsaturated diet that emphasized peanuts and peanut butter decreased cardiovascular disease risk by an estimated 21% compared to the average American diet. In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health. Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. In addition, peanuts provide resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant also found in red grapes and red wine that is thought to be responsible for the French paradox: the fact that in France, people consume a diet that is not low in fat, but have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the U.S. With all of the important nutrients provided by nuts like peanuts, it is no wonder that numerous research studies, including the Nurses' Health Study that involved over 86,000 women, have found that frequent nut consumption is related to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Peanuts Rival Fruit as a Source of Antioxidants

Not only do peanuts contain oleic acid, the healthful fat found in olive oil, but new research shows these tasty legumes are also as rich in antioxidants as many fruits.

While unable to boast an antioxidant content that can compare with the fruits highest in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, roasted peanuts do rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries, and are far richer in antioxidants than apples, carrots or beets. Research conducted by a team of University of Florida scientists, published in the journal Food Chemistry, shows that peanuts contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid, and that roasting can increase peanuts' p-coumaric acid levels, boosting their overall antioxidant content by as much as 22%.

Peanuts' Antioxidants Key to their Heart-Health Benefits

Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Blomhoff R, Carlsen MH), which identified several nuts among plant foods with the highest total antioxidant content, suggests nut's high antioxidant content may be key to their cardio-protective benefits.

Nuts' high antioxidant content helps explain results seen in the Iowa Women's Health Study in which risk of death from cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases showed strong and consistent reductions with increasing nut/peanut butter consumption. Total death rates decreased 11% and 19% for nut/peanut butter intake once per week and 1-4 times per week, respectively.

Even more impressive were the results of a review study of the evidence linking nuts and lower risk of coronary heart disease, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition. (Kelly JH, Sabate J.) In this study, researchers looked at four large prospective epidemiological studies-the Adventist Health Study, Iowa Women's Study, Nurses' Health Study and the Physician's Health Study. When evidence from all four studies was combined, subjects consuming nuts at least 4 times a week showed a 37% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who never or seldom ate nuts. Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Practical Tip: To lower your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, enjoy a handful of peanuts or other nuts, or a tablespoon of nut butter, at least 4 times a week.

Thursday, April 19, 2007, 10:41 AM

An FYI regarding the label "carcinogen":

Most cancer testing is done, at least partially, on laboratory rats.

As a rat owner, I can tell you rats get tumors VERY easily. Tumors--benign and otherwise--are among the most common health issues of pet rats.
This is part of the reason they are used in the testing--because they develop tumors so readily, it speeds the research.

So, you take an animal that is predisposed by nature to develop tumors, and you feed it many times the amount (for its body weight) that a human is likely to ingest of some substance you are testing, and what happens? The rat develops cancer. Yes, the substance is probably a carcinogen (these tests are replicated many times). But it's often a carcinogen that is harmless in the amounts in which humans consume it.

Thursday, April 19, 2007, 10:45 PM

is Peanut butter better for you then cashew butter?

or almond butter. What do you all eat?

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 11:21 AM

i eat what i'm in the mood for. that changes. sometimes i eat peanut butter. sometimse i eat cashew butter. sometimes i eat almond or walnut or hazlenut or macadamia nut butters. eat what you want, if it's whole and natural and free from artificial preservatives. eat when you're hungry. know what a proper protion size is and stop eating when you are full or if you have eaten your portion. don't eliminate foods from your diet just because someone else does. do what is best for your own personal self.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 11:29 AM

It's not the worst thing in the world but it is fatty. Go for a light one and use a smaller amount than you usually with. Like one of the previous posters said account for it in your daily calorie in take and you'll be fine. Most stores do a light version. Hope this helps.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 12:27 PM

I think that natural PB is a great food, with a lot of nutrients and protein. Just watch out because it is very calorie dense (like all nuts and nut products), typical serving is 200 calories (2 tbsp, the amount that goes on a sandwich). You probably put about a tbsp on your apple which more than doubles the calories of your snack.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 12:57 PM

Peanut butter is a good source of protein and can be very filling but should be used in moderation. I have found a peanut butter substitute sold in natural food stores called Better'N Peanut Butter. Contrary to the name of the product this does not taste anywhere near as good as peanut butter but only has 100 calories for a two tablespoon serving and is great in recipes that call for regular peanut butter.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 1:39 PM

what's the ingredient they use as a substitute for peanuts?

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 2:23 PM

To 2:23 poster...

Better N Peanut Butter still lists "Peanuts" as the number one ingredient, just as a combination of defatted peanut flour and natural peanut butter.

http://www.betternpeanutbutter.com/specs.html

Link

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 3:11 PM

Nuts in general have good fats that your body needs, though like most have already stated stick to Natural peanut butter, the kinda you have to grab a knife use the forearm muscles and stir the sucker. Also avoid any added sugars, and try to get some with no salt. No reason to dehydrate yourself while eating.

Sunday, November 25, 2007, 12:39 AM

I think Better'n Peanut Butter is pretty vile. Contrary to what a PP said, it does have sweeteners in it and it doesn't taste like real pb -- more like skippy plus weird sweet stuff. Almost like they've already added jelly. But it's worth trying to see if you like it!

Sunday, November 25, 2007, 2:26 AM

PB on whole wheat toast (1 tbsp not 2) for breakfast really helps me not be hungry until 10:30 or 11:00 - especially if I worked out the day before. Then when I do start to get hungry, a small snack can keep me satisfied until lunch. I know it's high in calories, but it's turned into a staple during this diet.

Sunday, November 25, 2007, 2:31 PM

spreadable chocolate??? mmmmmm.....

Sunday, November 25, 2007, 7:35 PM

Peanut Butter like all foods unless directed in the Old Testament of foods not to eat, is OK for you to eat.
It is all about portion control.
No more than 1 tablespoon a day is OK.
The best kind to get is the one with the oil on the top for stirring.
When you have this kind it is more tastier than the regular and not so sweet tasting.
Good Luck!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 5:41 PM

So since somebody's god didn't ban artificial cheese powder, Doritos are cool?? Excellent!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 5:53 PM

Huh??? When it comes to "creamed" peanuts, it's completely different. Peanut butter is just whole peanuts grinded to make "butter"...unless you use the "fake" version like Skippy where they put in trans fat and sugar. Peanut butter is good for you b/c it contains healthy fats, unlike spreadable chocolate or whatever. Personally, I like to eat PB on whole grain bread for breakfast and it fills me up almost until lunch time....and it's under 300 calories to boot.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 8:47 PM

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