A change you NEED to make...Natural Peanut Butter!

I apologize for my hiatus from blogging. Most of you know that I teach nursing and it’s nearing finals time so I’ve been busy!  Not to mention my NP job and working out. My pup has also been sick the past few days so I’ve been loving on him (who knew a dog could get CDiff?!)

So what’s the difference between natural peanut butter and regular peanut butter?

The biggest difference in Natural vs. Regular PB is that natural peanut butters do not contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) or added sugars. The ingredients in natural PB are simply "peanuts". With “normal” PB they will add oil (e.g. palm oil) as a stabilizer. The natural variety is safer, healthier and very easy on digestion. Contrary to the belief that peanuts are fatty, the natural variety of butter made from peanuts helps burn fat! Also, when natural peanut butter is prepared the skin of the peanut is ground as well and that adds to the nutritional values. There are a number of minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and calcium present in the natural variety of butter made from peanuts. Some people believe that because of the calories related to ingrained fats, people who are overweight or watching their weight need to avoid PB. This is not true because studies show that the fats present in natural peanut butter are good fats that are healthy for the body. They also help in reducing the effects related to cholesterol and heart disease.  

My favorite brand is Peanut Butter & Co. I typically eat the kind called Crunch Time. You should check out their website though because they have 10 flavors including fun ones like Cinnamon Raisin Dream & White Chocolate Wonderful (I’ve never tried these). One thing I like about Peanut Butter & Co is that it is “no-stir” so the oil isn’t sitting on top like a lot of the other natural PB’s. I buy mine at Whole Foods. They also have a few varieties at the Kroger where I shop. Here’s the website  http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/

 

I also really want to try PB2 which is a powdered peanut butter. Through a process that doesn’t involve the use of any chemicals and doesn’t alter the natural balance of the peanut, they remove over 85% of the fat from premium quality peanuts. Essentially, the oil is squeezed out of roasted peanuts and what remains is powdered peanut butter. Apparently, when you mix water (or another liquid of your choice) with the powder you end up with PB, the same consistency as regular peanut butter! The directions state: Mix 2 tablespoons of PB2 with 1 tablespoon of water and stir until smooth. Has anybody ever tried this? I think I’m going to order some!

If you are focused on making one small change at a time in your diet I suggest making this substitution! The absence of the trans fat and added sugars is an important change for your overall health!