Peanut butter is a popular superfood that’s full of vegetable proteins and healthful fats. But can this superfood help you gain or lose weight?

Peanut butter’s nutritional profile

The comparison below is based on data from the Department of Agriculture (USDA). It details the nutritional profile of two tablespoons of peanut butter with added sugar and natural peanut butter in kilocalories (kcal), grams (g) and milligrams (mg).

Peanut butter with added sugar: 

• Calories – 200 kcal
• Protein – 8 g
• Total fat – 16 g
• Carbohydrate – 7 g
• Fiber – 1.98 g
• Sugars – 3 g
• Calcium – 0 mg
• Iron – 0.72 mg
• Sodium – 150 mg

Natural peanut butter: 

• Calories – 190 kcal
• Protein – 8 g
• Total fat – 16 g
• Carbohydrate – 7 g
• Fiber – 3.01 g
• Sugars – 2 g
• Calcium – 18.9 mg
• Iron – 0.998 mg
• Sodium – 0 mg

Other brands of peanut butter with added sugar may contain about six grams of sugar per two tablespoons. Natural peanut butter is better for you since it contains less sugar.

Processed peanut butter may also contain additional ingredients like hydrogenated vegetable oil, molasses, salt and sugar.

Can peanut butter help you gain weight?

Consuming more calories than you burn off can result in weight gain.

A two-tablespoon serving (32 g) serving of peanut butter contains 190 calories and 16 grams of fat, or 21 percent of the recommended daily value of fat. But while peanut butter is rich in calories and fat, it might not cause long-term weight gain if you eat it as part of a balanced diet.

Peanut butter contains high levels of fat, but it also contains low levels of saturated fats and significant amounts of good fats that offer health benefits. Ironically, peanut butter can help you feel full longer so you don’t need to eat too much.

In one study, researchers examined the link between protein-rich foods and weight. They found that peanut butter was associated with mild weight loss when consumed in place of some carbohydrates.

Is peanut butter good for bodybuilders?

According to a study that analyzed nutritional strategies used by 51 competitive bodybuilders, consuming more protein and carbohydrates and reducing your fat intake is the way to go if you’re looking to build muscle mass. The recommended dietary protein intake for bodybuilders in the off-season is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram of body weight a day. Peanut butter is protein-rich superfood that can easily help you meet this requirement.

Another study also found that following a high-protein diet helped male study participants lose weight and body fat while maintaining their lean body mass!

Bodybuilders often aim for high muscle mass and lean body mass and nut butters like peanut butter can help them achieve this goal.

Is peanut butter the best food for weight loss?

Some studies have shown that peanut butter can be incorporated into your diet if you want to lose weight.

In a large study, researchers who worked with volunteers from 10 European countries for over five years reported that participants who ate the most amount of nuts, like peanuts, gained less weight and had a lower risk of obesity.

Peanut butter is a high-fat, high-protein food that can help you feel full. When you feel full, you’re less likely to eat more or crave unhealthy snacks. Peanuts and peanut butter are the perfect snacks for people aiming to lose weight.

When is the best time to eat peanut butter?

If you want to shed some pounds, it’s better to eat peanuts as snacks throughout the day since they can help prevent overeating. Findings from one study suggest that consuming protein 30 minutes before sleeping can help you build muscle, but researchers used casein protein, not protein from nuts. The study also reported that eating protein after exercising may offer health benefits. However, more research is needed to determine the best time to eat peanut butter to build muscle or maintain lean body mass.

There are many ways to incorporate peanut butter into a healthy diet:

• Spread peanut butter on toast or a bagel.
• Enjoy peanut butter with apple slices.
• Add it to a smoothie.
• Cook with peanut butter and make sauces for vegetables.
• Make peanut butter pancakes.
• Make peanut butter overnight oats.

Consuming nut butters is also a great alternative if you want to avoid or reduce your intake of traditional dairy butter. If you don’t like peanut butter, you can try other options like almond, cashew or hazelnut butter.

Alternatively, you can use seed butters! Experiment with recipes that use seed butters like pumpkin, sesame or sunflower seed butter if peanut butter isn’t your thing.

What if you have a peanut butter allergy?

If you have a food sensitivity or allergy to peanuts, avoid peanut butter and try other nut or seed butters.

You can incorporate the following superfoods into your diet to gain weight:

• Avocados
• Carbohydrates and starchy foods
• Cheese
• Dark chocolate
• Dried fruit
• Full-fat yogurt
• Legumes and grains
• Milk
• Olives
• Organic soy
• Organic tofu
• Poultry (with skin on but cooked in a healthy way)
• Protein smoothies
• Rice
• Salmon and fatty fish
• Whole eggs
• Whole-grain bread

If you have difficulty gaining weight even though you eat well and exercise regularly, consult your physician. You may need a full physical examination to find out why you can’t gain weight. A nutritionist or dietitian can help you plan a balanced diet to help you gain weight safely.

When incorporated into a nutritious diet, peanut butter can help you lose weight while preserving your lean body mass. Peanuts and peanut butter are high in calories and fat, but as superfoods, they can help you feel full longer and prevent unhealthy snacking.

Sources:

MedicalNewsToday.com

NataliesHealth.com

FCER.org