Healthy Living Makes a Difference

“Man cannot live by bread alone. He must have peanut butter,” said comedian Bill Cosby. A large percentage of the population apparently agrees with Cosby since this rich creamy spread is a staple in about 75 percent of North American homes. Many people probably consider peanut butter as the quintessential all-American or Canadian food, invented by and eaten mainly by our populations.

This is far from the truth. Some other cultures have been crushing peanuts into a smooth paste (which is all there is to making peanut butter) for centuries. In developing countries where meat is often scarce, peanuts are an important source of protein.

And, indeed, peanuts and the paste made from them are an excellent source of protein. Two tablespoons of peanut butter – which we think of as one serving – contains 10 gm of protein, nearly as much as in two eggs. And while almost all good sources of protein are tied up with saturated fat – a factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases and cancer – the fat in peanut butter is unsaturated which means it doesn’t boost blood cholesterol and may, in fact, help to lower it. If you think of it, peanut butter is an extremely cheap source of high quality protein compared to meats.

Asset to the diet

But moderation is the key as always. Peanut butter is high in fat – 16 grams in one serving size – and although it is unsaturated, the number of calories is also high – 190 for the serving.

If you can control yourself when you’re spreading your bread, peanut butter is a great asset to your diet since in addition to supplying protein, it is a powerhouse of other nutrients. Among them are B vitamins (including folacin), potassium and magnesium plus it contributes plenty of fibre. Peanut butter is definitely not junk food as some consumers seem to think.

There are several questions, however, that may have crossed your mind. If you read labels you will have noticed while the ingredient list for peanut butter is very short, there is one troubling ingredient –  hydrogenated vegetable oil. This means the product contains trans fatty acids (in small amounts) which act like saturated fat in the body.

If you want to avoid trans fats completely, buy “natural” peanut butter which has not gone through the hydrogenation process. In this case, you will find the oil separating from the solids. Stir well before each using and store the peanut butter in the refrigerator to modify the problem.

Peanut allergy

The second problem that must be considered is peanut allergy, which is an immune system response to an otherwise harmless component, in this case a protein. Symptoms can range from merely a mild rash to a very serious anaphylactic shock. It is for good reason many schools have banned peanut butter products from the premises in order to make it a safe place for all children.

However for the majority of children, peanut butter is a nutritious and economical food and there should not be a concern if kids frequently dip into the peanut butter jar. Parents of children who have developed an allergy could consider purchasing nut butters (if nuts are not causing an allergy) or peabutter based on brown peas and quite acceptable as a stand-in for peanut butter.