Thursday, March 1, 2012
Peanut Butter: Get Your Facts (and Fats) Straight
I would have held off posting my peanut butter piece until today had I realized March 1 was National Peanut Butter Lovers Day. (Don’t believe me? Click here for more info.) However, there’s been such a huge response—everyone loves peanut butter!—that I’m bringing it to your attention in case you missed it the first time around. If you did already read it, you might peruse the comments and responses to clarify any peanut butter questions you have. Or ask your own!
Remember: Don’t Fear the Fat. Get your peanut butter or guacamole on, guilt free. (Probably not together, though.) And, for more general info on the basics of a healthy diet, check out my piece on why the devil’s in the details when it comes to nutrition.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to toast a piece of whole wheat bread and slather it with rich, creamy, satisfying, yummy peanut butter.
I am not making that up.
Let me echo an earlier commenter — I hope that you’ll soon take a look at the peanut butter alternatives. Peanut-free classrooms are becoming more common, and lots of moms/parents are looking for the healthiest peanut-less peanut-butter-substitute. Your earlier comment that it depends on your kid’s taste is an important one, but I think an analysis of the relative health benefits of almond butter vs. sunflower seed butter vs. … um, whatever the other options are … would be a public service. (And I could probably get it posted on BabyCenter.com, if you’re looking for a new audience!)
Thanks for the comment, Liz! I have a hefty backlog of pieces in the works right now but I’ll add it to my list; it’s a great idea. The short version is that all of these nut butters are incredibly healthy, with the same caveats that apply as do for peanut butter – e.g., watch the salt, don’t eat “low-fat” versions stripped of their valuable nutrients, read the ingredient list, etc. Different nuts have different nutritional “strengths” but overall nuts are part of a healthy diet, whatever nut is selected and if consumed as part of a calorically balanced diet. Dark chocolate covered nuts are particularly delicious, but that’s a whole other story … and moderation is definitely required in that case. 😉
How do you feel about non-natural peanut butters (Jif etc)?
Thanks for the question! There are plenty of “non-natural” peanut butters out there that include only peanuts. I know non-natural is an acquired taste and there really is a big difference across brands; whether “natural” or not taste and texture really do vary tremendously, I’ve found. You might consider experimenting to see whether you can find a brand with fewer added ingredients, as lots of the traditional brands, including Jif, have extra sugar, fat, and salt. The key is to read the ingredient list and find a brand you like. Many times repeated exposure is the key – say, tasting it ~10 times – so you may find yourself preferring it as you get used to the more “peanutty” taste of the kinds without all the extra stuff. As I mentioned, I did indeed grow up on Skippy and really can’t eat it anymore, kind of the same thing that happens when you move from full fat to low fat milk; white bread to whole grain bread; etc. Hope this helps!
It does, thanks!
Great, and thanks for following! 🙂