In sauces, sweets, or bread – lots of peanut butter love. Because the cream contains a lot of fat, it is generally considered to be unhealthy. That’s not true, explain now, scientists from the United States: In reasonable quantities of peanut butter is even healthy.
High Nutrient Content
“There are so many reasons to have peanut butter at home or bring with you to work,” says nutritionist Lisa Sasson of the “Time Magazine”. The Professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University, says further: “peanut butter is really a healthy food”.
That Sasson is coming to this positive conclusion, is mainly due to the high nutrient content of peanut butter. Two tablespoons have about 7 grams of Protein, 16 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber. Thanks to these three components, “it is very satisfying,” says the expert.
Dr. Walter Willett, a Professor at Harvard University, agrees with this assessment: peanut butter is “a great food package” with protein, fiber stoffenund many minerals and vitamins.
What is with the fat?
What has caused the bad reputation of the peanut butter – namely, their high fat content – is in truth not so unhealthy. Researchers and experts now distinguish between different types of fats, and peanut butter is a Prime example of a “mostly healthy unsaturated fat,” says Dr. Willett.
To eat more of this type of fat, “will reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood and the risk for heart disease,” he says, “especially if it is Butter or processed meat will be replaced.”
Not every peanut butter is recommended
But be careful: Not every peanut butter there is on the market, is equal to healthy. The healthiest products contain only one or two ingredients: peanuts and a little salt. Often peanut butter is a hidden sugar bomb – so should sugar be in the best case, not at all.
Some peanut butter also contain hydrogenated Oils, saturated fat. These substances are designed to make peanut butter creamier and last longer, but are unhealthy.
Natural peanut butter has a shorter shelf life than versions with hardened Oil, but can be in a cool, dark cupboard or in the refrigerator for a longer time kept.
Of products that are declared as “low fat,” advises the nutritionist: These are misleading, as they often contain “the same amount of calories and more sugar like other peanut butter products,” explains Sasson.
Everything in moderation
Although all the peanut butter Fans can be pleased that the cream is generally healthy, you can’t losfuttern without reservation. The experts emphasize that the healthy effect is true only for reasonable amounts.
A standard serving of peanut butter is only two tablespoons, so the amount of servings always should be controlled. Two tablespoons of peanut butter have about 200 calories, which is a filling meal like a peanut butter Sandwich is appropriate, Sasson.
Who wants to only ever get a peanut butter snack, you should stay for a few teaspoons.
Peanut butter: These are the Alternatives
Who doesn’t like peanuts or are allergic to, it reacts, can not benefit from the high nutrient content in peanut butter. There are, however, Alternatives, which also contain unsaturated fats: are Also made from other nuts and seeds are now produced creams.
There are, for example, almond butter or Cashew and sunflower seed creams. “All of these I would count to the category of healthy food,” says Dr. Willett.
Judith Kerstgens
*The contribution of “fat bomb or a healthy source of nutrients?” comes from FitForFun. There is no editorial review by FOCUS Online. Contact with the executives here.
