Is peanut butter healthy ?

Is peanut butter healthy ?

Peanut butter and jam(jelly) sandwich are one of my favorite breakfast which I almost have everyday or alternate days, though some bad reputation are been associated with peanut butter. As it contains saturated fat. But saturated fat alone cannot decide whether the food shuold be thrown into healhy or unhealthy class. Many healthy foods are found to have some traces of saturated fats in it. Its the pack of all nutrients that decide the destiny of food, if they should be included in a good diet or not.

According to wikipedia peanut butter is a rich source of monounsaturated fats and resveratrol. It also provide protein, vitamin E and B3, magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, and high levels of the antioxidant p-coumaric acid. Many people considered peanut butter as a diet food as their protein(25gn/100gm) and fiber(6gm/100gm) content makes you feel full longer.

According to article published in cnn.com, including peanut or peanut butter in your diet can lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and thus decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease. Atleast five major studies have shown that including peanut in your diet can decrease the risk of coronary heart disease.

There are some health concerns also attached with peanut butter. Many peoples are allergic to peanuts, that's why it is banned in many schools. Peanuts are also affected by carcinogenic matter called aflatoxin(its a natural toxin produced by mold). Few years ago Consumers Union looked into this matter and found out that many big brands sold in supermarket have less aflatoxins as compared to freshly made peanut butter sold in health food market.

Always look for the ingredients when you buy peanut butter, bacause many brands contain hydrogenated oils, sugar and large amount of salt in it . Good peanut butter should be comprised of only two things, peanuts and very little amount of salt .

Always remember to control your portion size . One or two tablespoon of peanut butter is sufficient for a good diet. You can still have that yummy taste with all the good nutrients by just taking it in a right portion.

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