Food of the week: Peanut Butter

I asked my roomie for an idea for the food of the week. She quickly recommended peanut butter. It made me think of a conversation with a friend several years ago regarding the nutrition of peanut butter. She swore that it was not a healthy food due to its high sugar and fat content. I argued that PB can be very healthy and stand by this still. Please consider the following evidence.



Benefits:

• Peanut butter contains unsaturated fat, which helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• It's a good source of niacin and folate, which is good for cholesterol.
• Its protein and fiber fill you up. Peanut butter is a cheaper way to get your protein than meat or cheese.
• It contains high amounts of Resveratrol, which has strong anti-cancer properties.

Drawbacks:

• Not a good source of carbohydrates (but we often eat it in combination with carbs - PB & J is a prime example).
• Some brands contain lots of sugar or high fructose corn syrup (there it is again!), sodium or fat. There are healthier peanut butters but you have to look for them.

Ways to eat Peanut Butter:

• PB & J sandwich, of course! It's an American staple.
• Some Thai dishes are flavored with peanut sauces, PB can be easily used.
• My mother got me into this at a young age - dip a spoonful of PB into a bag of chocolate chips. So good, it hurts!
• Peanut butter on celery (a healthy snack).
• Many energy bars are PB flavored.
  

Little known fact:

• Peanuts are legumes (like beans) not nuts.
• Lots of people are acknowledged as the creators of peanut butter as we know it today, including an unknown St. Louis physician and Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.