Peanut butter - properties and nutritional values

Peanut butter - what is it?

Peanut butter is a food product that is very popular all over the world. It is a cream traditionally made from peanuts (which, although called nuts, are actually included in the group of legumes), which is distinguished by its wide use - it works perfectly as a bread spread, as well as an addition to dishes and desserts.

Peanut butter is a paste originating from South America, which already about 3000 years ago was produced from peanuts by the Incas. However, the modern creator of peanut cream is considered to be the American doctor - John Harvey Kellogg, who in 1884 patented a way to make peanut butter, treating it with as a healthy alternative to harmful products more and more often presented in the daily menu of Americans.

Peanut butter - composition

Peanut butter is commonly made from peanuts, also known as monkey nuts or groundnuts. Classic nut paste contains only nuts, without unnecessary additives or fillers. However, on the market, there are also products that, in addition to peanuts, also contain sugar or salt, and sometimes also hydrogenated palm oil, which are ingredients that are not desirable in the daily diet.

Due to the growing popularity of peanut butter, manufacturers, meeting the expectations of consumers, create newer and newer products based on peanut cream. On the store shelves can be found nut pastes with the addition of honey, chocolate or coconut. Increasing availability is also characterized by nut creams prepared from hazelnuts, almonds, cashew nuts or pistachios.

Peanut butter - nutritional values. How many calories does peanut butter have?

Traditional peanut butter is made from peanuts, which are a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids - the product contains, among others, alpha-linolenic acid from the omega-3 family, conjugated linoleic acid CLA belonging to the omega-6 group, as well as omega-9 oleic acid. At the same time, nut paste is a valuable source of protein, providing the body with precious exogenous amino acids - it is estimated that the cream made from peanuts contains about 25% of high-quality protein. As if that were not enough, peanut butter is also a treasure trove of dietary fibre and micronutrients necessary for the proper functioning such as vitamins A, C and E, as well as B vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin or vitamin B6 and minerals - calcium, potassium, manganese, copper or selenium.

Peanut butter is a high-energy product - in 100 g of peanut paste can be found about 600 kcal, and one teaspoon of cream provides the human body with about 60 kcal. Despite this, nut pastes are considered a valuable and healthy product, which due to the wealth of valuable ingredients is worth considering in the daily menu. However, when consuming peanut creams, it is important to maintain moderation and common sense, and properly integrate the product into a balanced diet.

How to use peanut butter in the kitchen? Check out our post: Peanut butter - a valuable component of the daily diet. What to make from peanut butter?

Peanut butter - properties

Peanut butter is a treasury trove of valuable ingredients that can have a positive effect on the functioning of the body. Peanut creams can promote the neutralization of free radicals and reactive oxygen species, and thus can reduce oxidative stress and delay the aging of the body. Peanuts used for the production of paste can also contribute to the improvement of the condition of the skin, hair and nails, and can also support the work of the immune system. The results of scientific research also suggest that peanut butter can have a positive effect on cognitive functions, as well as memory and stress reactions.

Peanut spread can also cause a decrease in systolic blood pressure, although the component has no effect on the value of diastolic blood pressure. Furthermore, data analyses report that regular inclusion of peanut butter in the daily menu may promote a reduction in fasting blood glucose levels, and it can also lower the overall glycemic response to a meal with a high glycemic index. Consuming peanuts and cream made from the product may contribute to lowering total cholesterol, reducing triglycerides, as well as reducing the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL fraction.

Due to high protein content, peanut butter can promote muscle mass gain, and moreover, it can be helpful in weight reduction - scientific data suggest that persons who regularly consume peanuts and nut pastes are less subject to develop overweight and obesity. In addition, peanut butter contains valuable compounds, such as conjugated linoleic acid CLA, which can support the weight loss process, contributing to the reduction of fat cells.

Peanut butter is a paste made from peanuts, which can positively affect health by promoting weight reduction, increasing muscle mass and positively affecting blood glucose levels.

Peanut butter - is it healthy? Peanut butter - harmfulness

Most often, among consumers can meet the questions "is peanut butter fattening?" and "is peanut butter healthy?". Well...it depends.

Peanut spread containing 100% nuts, which is used in moderation as an element of a healthy and balanced diet, can positively affect the human body, providing the body with valuable macro-and micronutrients. Uncontrolled consumption of peanut butter, which additionally contains unnecessary ingredients in the form of added sugar or palm oil, can contribute to weight gain and adversely affect the functioning of the human body.

Peanut butter, although it has many advantages, is not a product for everyone. The consumption of peanut pastes should be abandoned by people who are struggling with food allergy to nuts - eating nut cream can lead to shortness of breath, contact urticaria, swelling of the upper respiratory tract and difficulty breathing, and even to anaphylactic shock.

Peanut butter - what to choose?

When looking for valuable peanut butter, it is worth paying attention not only to the appearance of the label or the price of the product, but also to the ingredients used to create a nut paste. When choosing the best peanut butter, it is worth focusing on:

nut content - the more nuts, the better - a definite favourite is peanut butter, which contains 100% nuts;
pieces of nuts - peanut creams are most often found in two varieties - smooth, as a smooth nut paste and crunchy - as a nut cream with pieces of nuts. Choosing the right product is a matter of individual preferences, but it is good to have the opportunity to choose in this area;
fat content - peanut butter should not contain added fat. However, if the store shelf lacks 100% nut cream, it is better to choose a product that contains sunflower oil or MCT oil than hydrogenated palm oil;
the presence of unnecessary and artificial additives - if among the components of the nut cream there is added sugar or salt, it is better to put it back on the shelf;
the presence of flavour additives - to increase the attractiveness of the product, manufacturers more and more often create peanut butter, use various types of additives, such as honey, cocoa, coconut or salty caramel. Occasional consumption of such products can be an interesting variety in the daily menu, but every day it is worth reaching for 100% peanut butter.

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Bibliography:

Natalia Goździak

Copywriter - nutritionist. Bachelor's degree in sports dietetics She graduated from the Academy of Physical Education in Poznan, while her master's degree in dietoprophylaxis and dietotherapy - from the University of Physical Education in Poznan. at UP in Poznań. However, she treats the principles of healthy eating primarily as valuable guidelines, rather than strict rules that must be strictly followed. Knowledge in the field of copywriting, on the other hand, she draws from courses and industry literature, but since the best way to learn is to practice. learning is practice, she spends many hours each day playing with words and creating new, unique content. content. Privately, she is passionate about photography and can't imagine life without books.

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