The Skinny on Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is, by far, one of my favorite foods. I like to lick it right of the spoon, stick my finger in the jar and lick it off my finger. (I can get away with this...no one else eats PB in my house) I love peanut butter in my oats. I adore Thai peanut sauce with chicken and noodles...heaven! Peanut butter milk shakes. I pretty much think peanut butter goes with just about anything and everything.

Imagine my pain when one of my clients, a wellness doctor, informed me that peanut butter could be exacerbating my night sweats as peanut butter can interfere with female hormone production. Just fabulous! She is of the opinion that women should steer clear of peanut butter and peanuts in general and opt for almonds and almond butter instead. After receiving her advice, I made the switch right away. I went to my local Fred Meyer and bought myself a tub of almond butter, fresh, straight from the machine. My night sweats went away immediately. I believe, I believe!! As much as I love peanut butter, I don't love extra laundry, so the PB had to go.

Post competition, I decided that maybe it was all just a fluke, so I put the peanut butter back in my diet. It wasn't a fluke. Also, after researching the "blood type diet", turns out that peanuts and peanut butter are on the list of foods to avoid for my blood type. I decided to look into this whole peanut butter thing a little further and have since found several sources that agree with what I've learned so far. The following is something I found on simplyshredded.com this morning that I thought was worthy of posting:

Peanut Butter

Despite being a good source of protein and monounsaturated fat–the “good” fat–peanut butter can still put your diet in a sticky situation, especially if you’re eating the wrong types.

Why Its Bad:

Processed peanut butter adds extra sugar and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fats) to improve flavor and make it easier to spread on sandwiches. Unfortunately, what ends up getting smothered along with the bread is the nutritional value.

How Its Bad:

Too much peanut butter will trigger the body to burn the monounsaturated fat instead of bodyfat.

Avoid The Bust:

Go straight to the source – peanuts. Grab a package of almonds or unsalted peanuts and enjoy a different, crunchier texture while reaping the same nutritional benefits natural and organic peanut butter can offer.

Rambod Says:

“Peanut butter can be a double-edged sword: it can help with energy levels, but you have to watch the amount. When they’re dieting, I usually tell people to stay away from the brands with too much sodium, and avoid eating peanut butter during carb meals.”

Stoppani Says:

“When you need a sweet treat, peanut butter is a good choice, since the monounsaturated fats are readily burned during exercise and not stored as bodyfat.”

Peanut Butter Facts

• The ingredients should read: peanuts and salt. That’s it. Anything else is unnecessary.
• “Reduced fat” can often mean added sugar.
• The Peter Pan brand offers no natural alternative; Jif and Skippy do.

No-Bust Tip

Consume peanut butter in the afternoon if you’re beginning the day by eating carbs. This should help boost energy during low-carb periods.