E get good source of protein, but peanut butter really get healthy benefits?

One ogbonge nutritionist Nicola Shubrook don ansa plenty questions ontop wetin you suppose about peanut butter.

Despite di popular belief, peanuts wey also dey known as groundnuts, na class of legume e dey rather than a nut. Peanut butter na di popular ingredient wey dem make from diz peanuts.

Peanut butter wey dem make for commercial purposes na by roasting peanuts, per boiling dem to comot di skin and then grind dem into a paste – to make butter.

Dem fit add flavour to di “Butter” wit oil, sweeteners, and oda ingredients wey fit improve di taste and texture. Peanut butter dey available for smooth or crunchy version.

E dey rich in nutrients

E dey provide a balanced source of energy

E dey rich in healthy fats

Peanut butter na source of power for di body

E dey serve as a useful plant-based source of protein

E dey serve as a source of fiber to di body

E dey help di body naturally produce antioxidant

One tablespoon of peanut butter (16g) provide:

97kcal/402kj, 3.6 g protein, 8.3 g fat, 2.0 g saturated fat, 2.1 g carbohydrates, 1.1g sugar, 1.1 g fiber.

Many brands dey add ingredients like oil, sugar, or xylitol, as well as salt, wey dey change di nutritional value. For example, products wey dem market say e dey “reduce fat” fit get sugar to enhance di taste.

Wen you buy peanut butter, check di label carefully and, wenever possible, choose peanut butter wey get 100% peanut content.

1. E dey rich in nutrients

Peanuts dey rich in nutrients and e dey provide minerals, wey include magnesium, iron, and zinc, and copper. Na also source of vitamins, especially B and vitamin E.

2. E get balanced energy source

Peanuts na balanced source for protein and carbohydrates, wit small higher contribution of energy from fat. Peanut butter dey high in calories.

3. Na source of healthy fats

Peanut butter na rich source of fats, including oleic acid, wey be healthy monounsaturated fat, you fit also find in olive oil. Oleic acid dey link to several health benefits, including improve insulin sensitivity.

Although peanuts get some saturated fats, di majority of di fats get monounsaturated fats, wit balanced levels of polyunsaturated and saturated fats. One tablespoon of peanut butter na about 10% of di daily recommendation for adults intake of saturated fat.

4. Peanut butter na energy source

Peanuts dey provide large amount of energy for less consumption. Dis dey useful for pipo wit poor appetites, as well as for pipo wey dey suffer from malnutrition.

Di reason for dis high energy intake na di high fat content wey peanuts get, at 9kcal per gram, e dey provide more calories dan oda common foods like milk, soy and cereals.

5. Na useful plant-based source of protein

Peanuts na good source of plant-based protein, although, legumes dey low in certain essential amino acids, including lysine and methionine.

As part of balanced plant-based diet, dem fit make useful contribution, as evidenced by di fact say di digestibility of dia proteins (di way we fit digest and absorb protein) dey comparable to animal sources.

6. Source of protective plant compounds

Peanut butter dey rich in plant compounds wey get protective antioxidant effect, such as p-coumaric acid and resveratrol. Animal studies don suggest say dis compounds dey associated wit various health benefits, including reducing di risk of heart disease and reducing arthritis in rodents.

7. Source of fiber

Peanut butter na good source of fiber. Wen you make am wit di skin intact, E dey provide around 1.3g of fiber per tablespoon (compare to 0.98g to 1.1g for peanut butter without di skin). Dietary fiber dey contribute to intestinal health and digestive transit, as well as appetite management by improving satiety levels.

8. Low glycemic value

Peanuts get low glycemic value, wey be di rate our body dey convert carbohydrates into energy in di form of glucose. Di rate wey dis dey happun and di increase in blood glucose levels dey measure by score on di Glycemic Index (GI) scale. Peanuts get low GI. Wen dem add peanut butter to high-GI food, such as a bagel, peanut butter help reduce di GI of di meal and stabilize blood glucose level so dem no go fit rise fast.

9. Source of Coenzyme Q10

Peanuts and di skins dey rich in biologically active components, including coenzyme Q10. Dis essential compound dey support di skin, brain and lungs, and protect di heart from lack of oxygen, situation wey fit happun afta heart disease.

10. E dey rich in plant stanols and sterols

Peanuts and peanut butter dey rich in plant compounds wey dem dey call stanols and sterols, wey inhibit di absorption of dietary cholesterol. Dem believe say dis compounds fit also help reduce di risk of heart disease.

How much peanut butter make I consume?

If you no dey allergic to peanuts and enjoy dia taste, moderate amount of about two tablespoons per day dey okay.

If you suspect any allergic reaction to peanuts, make appointment wit your doctor to confam di diagnosis.