Is Peanut Butter Good For Weight Loss? Find Out

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ith rising obesity rates, demand for nutrition products has increased and consumers across the globe have started shifting towards healthier breakfast and snack options.

With the demand for nutritious snacks, peanut butter has earned a spot as delicious, functional food any time of the day. Slather it on burgers, slap it between two slices of bread, use it as a salad dressing, make energy balls, add it to smoothies or shakes, or spoon it straight from the jar. Whether using it as a quick snack to devour when you are famished, or as a mid-workout snack to get you through the rest of your gym session, one would be hard-pressed to find a food as versatile as peanut butter.

Despite their diminutive size, peanuts play an outsized role!! A small serving (just a spoonful) of peanut butter provides an impressive dose of protein, dietary fiber, and healthy fats.

The subject of today’s blog is, does the take-anywhere snack help you to lose weight…

HISTORY OF PEANUT BUTTER

Peanut, also called groundnut technically belongs to the legume of the pea family. Peanut butter was invented in 1890 by Marcellus Gilmore Edson, a Canadian chemist who patented a way to peanut paste, an earlier version of peanut butter. He promoted it as a delicious and nutritious soft protein substitute for people who could not chew solid foods.                                     

HOW IS PEANUT BUTTER MADE?      

Peanuts are grown underground, the nuts are removed from their vines with mechanical pickers, and shelled by machine. Once the shells are removed, they are delivered to the processing plant.

Peanuts are passed through a hot air roaster in which they are dry roasted at 160⁰ C for up to an hour, then cooled using suction fans until they reach 30 ⁰ C. The peanuts then go through blanching where their outer skins are removed. After removing the skins, the peanut hearts (which are very bitter) are removed by screening.

The next step is grinding where the peanuts are passed through grinders where at first they are ground into medium-sized pieces and then into a smooth, fine texture.

To make crunchy peanut butter, small bits of peanuts are added to the mixture. Hydrogenated oil, salt, sweetener, and anything else the manufacturer has on their recipe list are added in the final step.

The finished peanut butter is cooled and then vacuum-packed in plastic or glass jars to prevent oxidization and give it a long shelf life.

DID YOU KNOW FACTS ON PEANUT BUTTER

It takes 565g of peanuts to make 500g jar of peanut butter.

If 100 calories worth of egg whites contain 25g of protein, 0g of fat, 2g of carbs, two tablespoons of peanut butter clocks in at 210Kcal, 9g protein, 6g carbs, and 16g fat.

As per FDA, for a product to be labelled as peanut butter, it must contain at least 90% peanuts.

WHAT KIND OF PEANUT BUTTER SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

The best quality peanut butter should contain 100% peanuts. Always choose peanut butter which contains minimal ingredients and ideally which contains edible ingredients like cocoa, sugar, and salt. The peanut butter will come in smooth and crunchy variants. Crunchy peanut butter has small pieces of nuts, while creamy peanut butter has a smooth texture. The all-natural peanut butter will have oil floating on top of the jar.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEANUT BUTTER & REGULAR BUTTER

The major difference between peanut butter and regular butter lies in the source. Peanut butter is plant-sourced (vegan) whereas regular butter is dairy (vegetarian) sourced. Both kinds of butter have their own goodness, however, peanut butter has more protein and less fat than regular butter. Compared to regular butter, peanut butter scores slightly higher on the nutrition front. The term butter in peanut butter refers to the buttery texture and consistency, doesn’t mean it includes dairy butter.

Here we come to answer your question, is peanut butter good for weight loss?

Calling a food that offers 180 to 210 Kcal per serving to support weight loss goals may seem counter-intuitive at first glance, however, there is much more to learn…             

PEANUT BUTTER IS SUPER SATIATING

Sustained satiety is a key component to inducing a negative energy balance and promoting weight loss. Consumption of a protein diet reduces postprandial hunger and increases postprandial satiety. A protein diet stimulates CCK (cholecystokinin) release in the gut which reduces food intake, gastric emptying and induces satiety. Peanut butter packs in a good amount of protein (8-9g per serving), and it’s also a good source of dietary fiber (3g per serving). While protein keeps you full for longer and lowers your calorie intake by reducing snacking and overeating, fiber adds bulk to the diet and slows the absorption of certain foods so that the blood sugar is better controlled.

PEANUT BUTTER CURBS CRAVINGS

The glycemic index is the measure of how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels. Foods with high GI values are quickly digested and absorbed, leading to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. This can trigger hunger and cravings, making it difficult to control cravings and lose weight. On a 100-point scale, the glycemic index of peanuts is 14, this means peanut butter keeps your blood sugar levels stable for a long time after consumption which lowers the insulin levels in your body, curbs cravings, and reduces calorie intake.

PEANUT BUTTER HELPS BURN CALORIES

Diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) is the percentage increase in energy expenditure over the basic metabolic rate. Weight loss associated with protein diets doesn’t just involve increased secretion of satiety hormones (GLP) but also increased thermic effect of protein food. Diet-induced thermogenesis value is highest for protein (15-30%). Peanut butter increases thermogenesis, which means the body has to expend more energy to digest peanut butter. Enhanced satiety offered by peanut butter decreases calorie intake while an increased thermic food allows for greater calorie output.

PEANUT BUTTER HELPS RETAIN MUSCLE MASS

A moderate protein diet may provide a stimulatory effect on muscle protein anabolism, favouring the retention and maintenance of lean muscle mass. Consuming peanut butter combined with weight training can increase and sustain muscle mass. Having more muscle mass allows your body to burn more calories. A protein diet increases the retention of plasma amino acids, and having a spoonful of peanut butter after exercise can prevent muscle loss. While fats and carbs energize your workout session, protein will contribute to the preservation of muscle.

But peanut butter is high in fats and is calorie-dense, is that what you are thinking? Yes, 50% of peanut butter is comprised of fat, but 75% of the fat in peanut butter is comprised of unsaturated fat, which constitutes healthy fats. Yes, peanut butter is calorie-dense, but it comes with a boost of fiber, fat and protein. The protein in peanut butter is plant-based, fiber is a complex carb, and fat is mostly unsaturated.

DOES PEANUT BUTTER SUPPORT WEIGHT LOSS?

Definitely yes, but portion control is crucial when consuming peanut butter. Just like how peanut butter will contribute to weight gain when you combine it with a high-calorie diet, it contributes to weight loss when taken in conjunction with a balanced diet and strength training regimen. For effective weight loss results, you should maintain a caloric balance, which means the calories consumed should be balanced by calories burned. Any food will contribute to weight gain if consumed in excess, so moderation is the key. When consumed moderately peanut butter will no doubt support your weight loss goals.

Peanut butter is suitable for your goals, whether it’s building muscles, gaining weight, or losing pounds…

Peanut butter can be a helpful addition to a weight loss diet if consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet...

Also Read: How To Store Peanut Butter?

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