Peanut butter’s high protein content makes it ideal for the physically active
Want an absolutely yummy and indulgent breakfast or lunchtime treat but determined to stick to a super healthy diet? Then simply stock your pantry with jars of natural peanut butter!
The benefits of peanut butter for active people
Be sure to choose a range with no additives, no preservatives and no added oils or sugar, and you’re holding a jar of delicious goodness which should be part of any healthy diet.
According to Accredited Practising Dietitian Joel Feren, Australians should be eating a lot more nuts, and peanuts and peanut butter spreads should be part of that effort.
Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend 30 grams of nuts a day but most of us are eating, on average, five to six grams,” Feren says. “Clearly we should be incorporating a lot more nuts into our daily diet and eating natural peanut butter is a quick, easy and delicious way to do this. One tablespoon of natural peanut butter on a piece of multi-grain bread or toast makes for a very satisfying and filling breakfast or lunch. Or try adding a spoonful of peanut butter to Greek Yoghurt for a delicious snack full of heart healthy fats, fibre, calcium and protein”.
5 reasons to add peanut butter to your diet
Here’s five reasons peanut butter should be part of every diet and why it is especially good for the super health conscious.
1. It’s good fat
There’s oil and fat and then there’s really good oil and fat. Peanut butter made from Australian high-oleic peanuts, like the Mother Earth range, contains a naturally higher level of oleic acid which is rich in monounsaturated fats. This is the good fat that helps lower cholesterol, reduce heart disease and lower blood pressure. According to the Harvard Medical School, although peanut butter has its share of saturated fats, its high percentage of unsaturated fat puts in the heart healthy camp, alongside olive oil and avocado. There’s an easy way to tell if a peanut butter is all natural and high-quality – just check that the oil has risen to the top of the jar. That a sure sign there’s no preservatives or additives and that you’ll be getting your unsaturated fat.
2. It’s an energy booster
Yes, peanut butter can be calorie dense, but that’s what makes it satisfying and satiating. And those calories will give you a real energy boost. Feren says including one tablespoon of peanut butter over the day will help ensure you meet your nut quota to promote good health.
3. Rich in fibre
And one tablespoon also gives you two grams of fibre. Fibre helps to keep your bowels nice and regular, helps to regulate your blood sugar levels and helps to keep you fuller for longer,” Feren said. “Peanut butter goes some way to ensuring you meet your fibre requirements each and every day”.
4. Rich in nutrients
As well as healthy fats, fibre and protein, a serving of peanut butter will give you around 3mg of the important and powerful antioxidant vitamin E, magnesium which is great for muscle and nerve function, and a small amount of vitamin B6 which helps to regulate your metabolism.
5. It can help you lose weight
Yes, it really can. Because peanut butter is an almost perfect combination of fibre and protein, when you eat it you feel fuller for longer. This can help significantly with eating less overall or wanting junk food or unhealthy snacks.
“All-natural peanut butter is one of those foods that is delicious while being actually very, very good for you,” Feren said. “Around one tablespoon each day is the healthy end of the peanut butter consumption scale. And as well as the health benefits, it is just so convenient – an easy, delicious breakfast for any age, a great school lunch, and an ideal part of a meal for people who are very physically active, because of its protein content.” Feren cheekily adds that, “it can even be eaten straight from the jar”.
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