By Debbie Patrickson
Do you remember that rock and roll song--"Peanut, Peanut butter?" You would hear it and hum the lyric all day. Well did you know that PB is one of the most nutritious food we can eat in addition to being one of America's favorite foods? Would it ever cross your mind that this favorite food could contribute to quick weight loss too?
Peanut butter can become a dieter's favorite food also. First let me tell you why it is considered to be a superfood. It can provide us with the most concentrated source of energy in our diet. Researchers have also found that it has tremendously positive health affects. It has been found to reduce diabetes risk and a group eating a diet high in peanuts and PB was able to decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease by 21% compared to those eating an average American diet. You probably already know that if you have belly fat you are already considered to be at a higher risk of heart disease because of it.
Most people do not think of PB as a diet food, but it can be. Most dieters are taught to avoid foods high in fats and 71% of the calories in peanut butter comes from fats. The other 29% comes from 14% carbs and 15% protein. Now maybe these kinds of facts bore you to death and are not important to you. Well that is where the bad news ends. Let me get on with telling you why PB can become a healthy and very satisfying addition to your weightloss diet and should be included in the foods you select to achieve quick weight loss.
Peanut Butter is a food that provides fuel for your muscles and gives you energy. Most dieters have experienced that dip in blood sugar that left you feeling sluggish and draggy. You did not want to take a walk, swim, ride a bike or do anything that was recommended for exercise and burning calories when you felt so weak.
Here is one of the reasons why people do not think of PB as a diet food; two tablespoons of PB contains 190 calories. Now don't say that this is disgusting, but did you know that eating PB straight from a spoon can prevent spikes in blood sugar. Many people prefer to enjoy eating PB as a snack with celery and carrot sticks. What is more important is that you will notice that it is so satisfying and eliminates that craving for something rich and tasty.
Here is a fact you might want to know about the fats in PB and relieve you of any guilt you might feel. Eighty percent (80%) of the fat is unsaturated fat that we all know as the "good fat." This type of fat has been known to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels in the blood and raise the "good" HDL cholesterol. Who wouldn't like to improve their cholesterol profiles while enjoying healthy snacks? Here is another fact you might not have thought of related to PB--it is cholesterol free because cholesterol is found only in animal products and peanut butter comes from peanuts.
Do you remember Elvis Presley's favorite sandwich? It was peanut butter and banana with honey and grilled. Well, I am not recommending that you make yourself an "Elvis Special." But for breakfast, you can create a 400 calorie breakfast sandwich in a healthier version. Split one toasted whole wheat English muffin into two pieces. Spread each half with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Slice a banana and top each half of muffin with half a banana (approx. 1/4 cup). Eat it as an open-faced sandwich. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches have always been one of my family favorites and this diet version is no exception. It is satisfying enough to help you make it to lunch or you can have it as a lunch sandwich.
It is not my plan to turn this into one recipe after another, but I want to show you how you can add peanut butter into your diet and still live within the daily calories allotted to you. Here is a peanut butter smoothie that you can drink for breakfast. This recipe came from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook. Here is how you create 1 serving for yourself: 1/2 cup fat-free milk, 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt, 2 Tablespoons creamy natural unsalted peanut butter, 1/4 very ripe banana, 1 Tablespoon of honey, and 4 ice cubs. Combine these ingredients in a blender, processing until smooth so that you have a super duper Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie for 410 calories of nutrition. Yes, that is a whole meal and sticks to your ribs. Peanut butter sticks--get it? O.K. so I am not paid to be funny!
Here is one more and I will stop. Take 1 whole wheat tortilla (8 inches). Spread 2 Tablespoons of natural unsalted peanut butter on it. Take a 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries and cover the peanut butter with the strawberry slices. Roll into a tube. Slice on a diagonal into pieces and enjoy for a 332 calorie lunch. Add a glass of skim milk for a very nutritious and satisfying lunch of about 435 calories.
Here is another good reason to add peanut butter to your diet. It adds protein and helps you stick to your diet by reducing appetite cravings. In addition, it is possible to could go on and on about all the other nutrients that are in peanut butter and their benefits--Vitamin E, Niacin, Folate, Vitamin B6, Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper, Potassium, Iron, Zinc and Calcium--but I won't. Just be aware that there are a lot of health benefits that comes along with eating peanut butter such as reducing the risk of heart disease. It is a good source of proteins and dietary fiber, contains a vital antioxidant, important to our immune system, protects body cells and tissues and on and on. The fat soluble vitamins A, D, and E is carried by the fat in peanut butter to our cells and help maintain healthy skin.
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