How is Peanut butter healthier for snacks compared to other spreads?
by Alpino Health Foods Private LimitedonJun 18, 2021
Peanut butter is a thick paste made from grounding the roasted peanuts. It is unprocessed food. But despite this fact, it has been one of the most controversial snacks due to the misunderstandings related to its nutritional content. Although, it has, for all these years, also been one of the most used and consumed snacks in the entire Indian peninsula. But a lot of people are still in a muddle, for whether to consume it or not every day. So here we are to break all the myths about peanut butter and prove why peanut butter is not only healthy but is a better snacking option compared to other spreads.
Mentioned below are a few benefits of peanut butter that would convince you enough to get a peanut butter jar for yourself soon -
Proteins for your ideal body - Whether your aim is to gain mass and muscle or losing weight, peanut butter would help in both. An excellent source of protein, peanut butter is an ideal snack for bodybuilders. But, not a lot of people know about the fact that peanut butter contains trace amounts of calories per serving and therefore, it can also be used to lose weight. The fact that peanut butter makes you feel full for a longer period of time escalates it from just an ordinary spread to a spread that is super beneficial for you.
A tonic for your heart - Peanut butter acts as a tonic for your heart but of course much tastier than an actual tonic. It contains nutrients such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that improve heart health. But exactly how is what you ask? The answer to this takes us back to our science class where we were taught that unsaturated fats are better for us than saturated fats. The ratio of unsaturated fats in Peanut Butter is naturally high as compared to the saturated one, making it a snack that actually shoots down the risk of heart diseases. Moreover, it also contains a substance called p-coumaric acid which helps in counteracting the damage done to the cells of the heart.
Low Carbohydrates to stay away from diabetes - Peanut Butter is relatively low on carbohydrates. It also contains fibre and fats and proteins in good amounts. This means that peanut butter, with no added sugar, is a good option for people with diabetes. People with diabetes may suffer from low magnesium levels and to replenish this, peanut butter is a good option as it contains sufficient amounts of magnesium in it. People with type 2 diabetes can have them as tension-free. The Antioxidants and oleic acid found in it not only not increase blood sugar levels but also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Vitamins to lower the risk of Breast Cancer - Eating peanut butter reduces the risk of Benign Breast Disease, also known as BBD, which eventually increases the risk of breast cancer. Even those women who had a family history of breast cancer had a significantly lower risk if they ate peanut butter, was found in one of the studies. Moreover, peanut butter is packed with cancer-fighting Vitamin E. A Vitamin-E-rich diet has the capacity to lower the risk of a lot of cancers in the organs like stomach cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer.
Vitamin B3 to protect you from Alzheimer’s Disease - Peanuts contain Vitamin B3 or niacin in high quantities. People who eat foods rich in Vitamin B3 are less likely to have Alzheimer’s disease or other memory disorders. The niacin contained within peanut butter helps in the recovery of damaged cells of the brain, which provides the shield against this disease. Moreover, the p-coumaric acid found in peanut butter helps fight the oxidative stress on the cells of the body associated with neurodegenerative diseases
Say goodbye to Gallstones -
Consuming peanut butter can actually reduce the risk of gallstones because a large percentage of gallstones are cholesterol stones, which are linked to high levels of bad cholesterol stored in your body, according to a lot of findings. Peanuts have the ability to lower LDL or the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol i.e. HDL, thus reducing the risk of gallstone formation in the body.
Iron and Calcium for Strong Bones -
Iron and calcium are found in abundance in peanut butter. Iron and calcium are important for transporting oxygen in the blood, thereby promoting healthy and strong bones.
These were some of the known health benefits of peanut butter. A lot of research is still going on to prove peanut butter supremacy among its not so healthy alternative snacks.
