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Do you know the benefits of peanut butter?
Peanut paste has been slowly arriving and has already won the hearts of many Brazilians. People who are on diets or who like a healthier diet attest to the benefits of peanut paste, and that it is signed below by research and scientific studies on the food.
Originally from Canada and the USA, peanut paste is consumed worldwide. It provides immunity strengthening, improves bone health, helps to balance weight and prevents the body against diseases, besides many other benefits.
Although it is rich in vitamins, proteins, minerals and other nutrients, the peanut paste requires care. If consumed in excess, for example, it causes serious harm to the human body. To learn more about this powerful food and how to consume it safely, continue reading the article!
Understanding more about peanut butter
Many Brazilians have enjoyed the benefits of peanut butter, but do you know the origin of this food? What exactly is it used for? Its properties? The answer to these and other questions are in the topics below. Check it out!
What is peanut butter?
Peanut paste is a food produced essentially with the peanut. Its composition consists of 90% peanut and another 10% of vegetable oil, salts, minerals and other nutrients.
Being rich in protein and good fats, many have seen the benefits of peanut paste in the functioning of the body. Basically, peanut paste is the creamy, ground form of peanuts that have been roasted.
Therefore, in the traditional version of the paste, you find peanut granules mixed together, leaving a creamy texture and with the characteristic flavor of the legume. Currently, besides the traditional version, you can find the paste in other flavors, such as hazelnut, for example.
Origin and characteristics of peanut butter
Of American and Canadian origin, peanut paste appeared in the 1880s, but it wasn't until the 1940s that people began to include it in their diets. Until the 1920s, manufacturers developed the paste through manual extraction.
Over the years, cultivation has become automated, making the process more efficient. Nowadays, many people absorb the benefits of peanut paste, which has a very dense texture in the traditional version.
Due to the not very sweet taste, some manufacturers decided to create more flavorful versions in a natural way. These contain creamier and smoother textures, with very tasty ingredients, such as chocolate, hazelnut and cocoa.
What is peanut butter used for?
American athletes enjoy the benefits of peanut butter in post-workout snacks. This is because, as the paste is rich in protein, it serves to assist in muscle repair, helping the muscle to grow, in addition to preventing injuries during physical exercise.
The good fat present in the composition of the paste also serves to those who are on restrictive diets. Peanut paste is ideal for people who want to strengthen immunity, prevent diseases and control glucose levels in the blood.
In other words, it is a product with many benefits for the body. However, if consumed in excess, it can do harm.
Properties of peanut butter
The benefits of peanut paste are provided thanks to the properties of the food. The paste has many calories that are part of unsaturated fats, those that are good for the body. They also have protein, vitamins, zinc, phosphorus, carbohydrates and fiber.
In just one tablespoon of peanut paste, you get 95 kcal of calories, 3.5 g of protein, 4 g of carbohydrates, 8 g of fats and 1 g of fiber. All these elements act in the human body, strengthening immunity, providing more energy, maintaining bone health and assisting in muscle contraction.
Benefits of peanut butter
Those who want to keep the health of the body on time and ensure a good functioning of the body can count on the benefits of peanut butter. Below, you will know the main advantages of the paste for your body!
Source of protein
Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein. In just two tablespoons, your body absorbs 7.02 grams of the nutrient. Although the ideal amount of protein varies from person to person, in general, it is recommended to eat 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men daily.
The nutrient protein has very important functions in the human body. The main ones are to help in the production of hormones and assist in the process of muscle recovery. Therefore, the benefits of peanut butter can be enjoyed by those who exercise, precisely because it helps repair muscles. It is ideal to consume the paste in the post-workout.
Source of vitamins
A factor that contributes to the abundance of benefits of peanut butter is the presence of vitamins. It has in its composition vitamin B6, which acts in more than 100 enzymatic reactions of the human body and contributes to the strengthening of the immune system and improving heart health.
Just one portion of peanut paste provides 0.17 grams of vitamin B6, which corresponds to almost 14% of the necessary intake for an adult. In addition to B vitamins, the paste also has vitamin E, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and acts on the immune system, preventing the onset of diseases.
Source of good fats
One of the great benefits of peanut butter is its richness in good fats. Many processed foods have saturated fats in their composition, which are terribly harmful to the body.
Monounsaturated fats, in turn, are called good fats because they help the body function. These positive fats for the body help in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and, therefore, are necessary for the human being.
In this way, you can consume the peanut paste and keep your body's health up to date. However, since it has a lot of calories, use the paste in moderation if you do not want to gain weight.
Acts as a hypercaloric
Because it contains a lot of calories, peanut butter is considered a hypercaloric food, which is ideal for those who want to gain a few extra pounds, with health and well-being. But the benefits of peanut butter can only be absorbed by the body with a balanced intake of the product. Therefore, do not overconsume.
Calorie intake ranges from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for women and up to 3,000 for adult men, so peanut butter is an excellent source to meet this caloric need if used in moderation.
Encourages muscle contraction
Peanut paste is rich in magnesium and potassium, minerals that promote muscle contraction. They prevent the appearance of cramps, which usually appear during physical exercise.
Therefore, those who are adept at physical activities can enjoy the benefits of peanut butter. Potassium also acts in the formation and repair of muscles, which is ideal to be used in post-workout.
Both minerals, both magnesium and potassium, are excellent in the process of muscle contraction. Making moderate use of the food, you ensure all the benefits it offers.
Prevents muscle injuries
To prevent muscle damage, it is highly important to consume protein-rich foods post-workout. For this, you can count on the benefits of peanut butter, which is abundant in protein. After performing your workout, you can use the paste along with a mashed banana, for example, to get the benefit.
Protein is one of the most important nutrients in muscle recovery. It is what prevents injuries in the region, strengthening muscles and helping in the growth of lean mass. With just two spoons of peanut paste every day, you already get the necessary amount of protein for the prevention of muscle injuries.
Improves bone health
It is wrong to think that bone health should be the focus of care only in children. Adults need to consume foods that ensure the strengthening of bones. For this, you can count on the benefits of peanut butter, because the product contains in its formula nutrients that act on the bones.
The main one of these nutrients is magnesium, which is actually a very important mineral for the body. Besides acting in the prevention against diabetes, magnesium is also highly potent in improving bone health. In adulthood, a person can replace milk with peanut paste, as a healthier option for bones.
Improves heart health
To keep heart health up to date, it is essential that the ratio of unsaturated fats to saturated fats be perfectly balanced. This equation is provided among the benefits of peanut paste, which resembles the proportion offered by olive oil, another very efficient product for the proper functioning of the heart.
Peanut paste is rich in niacin, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, polyunsaturated fatty acids and magnesium, substances that work directly on the heart. The intake of all these nutrients decreases the risk of heart diseases and improves the performance of cardiovascular functions.
Fights Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's is a disease that usually appears in the elderly phase. As the years go by, the brain functions become weaker, which impacts the memory, causing forgetfulness. In order to avoid this clinical condition, you can, right now, count on the benefits of peanut butter.
The paste is rich in niacin, which is an important vitamin for the proper functioning of the brain. It is essential to take care of brain health during adulthood to ensure healthy and lucid aging. Therefore, a few spoonfuls of peanut paste on a regular basis are enough to prevent Alzheimer's.
Acts against diabetes
Those who suffer from diabetes can also enjoy the benefits of peanut butter. The food has in its composition magnesium, which is the nutrient responsible for preventing the risk of type 2 diabetes. In addition, the nutrient also controls the levels of glucose in the blood, contributing to the prevention of the disease.
However, to obtain this benefit, it is important that the peanut paste is 100% whole, with only peanuts as the main ingredient. This is because other versions of the paste, such as those with natural sweeteners, may contain sugar in its formula, which is very harmful for those who already have diabetes.
Strengthens the immune system
Peanut paste has B vitamins and vitamin E, which together act to strengthen the immune system, so if you want to strengthen your immunity and prevent the attack of viruses, microbes and bacteria against your body, you can count on the benefits of peanut paste.
The immune system is the main defense of the organism against the appearance of diseases. So, it is important to keep it active with products that help its functioning.
Therefore, you can complement the consumption of the paste with other foods that help immunity, such as fruits, for example. Together, your body will receive a combo of protection.
How to make your own peanut butter at home
Know that it is perfectly possible to enjoy the benefits of peanut butter in a homemade way. That's right: you can prepare your peanut butter in the comfort of your own home! Check out how to do this in the next topics!
Ingredients
Making the peanut butter at home can be much cheaper than buying a ready-made one. In addition, you have total control over the ingredients, ensuring that they are of 100% natural origin, without any preservatives. You can choose whether or not to use add-ons yourself and choose the option you like best.
However, to ensure all the benefits of peanut butter, it is important that all the elements are natural. You will need peanuts, a food processor and a container for roasting. If you wish, you can buy peanuts already roasted and peeled. If you want, you can add cocoa for added flavor.
How to do
Making peanut butter is pretty simple. Just lightly roast the peanuts to ensure smoothness and then take them to the food processor until you get the consistency you want. Depending on the model of the food processor, the process can be ready in 5, 10 or 15 minutes.
After it is ready, observe the consistency and see if you need to stir it a little more. If not, you can add other components. The most used are hazelnut, cocoa, chocolate and, in some cases, cinnamon powder. To enjoy all the benefits of peanut butter, avoid adding sugar or any artificial component.
Further information on peanut butter
Whether for restrictive diets or just to ensure good health, the benefits of peanut butter can be used to its fullest. However, despite its advantages, under certain conditions, the paste may present damage to health. See below the contraindications of food, and other important information about it!
Whole or regular peanut butter: which one to choose?
There are two versions of peanut butter: the whole peanut butter and the regular peanut butter. Both have nutrients, and you can enjoy all the benefits of peanut butter with them. However, the whole peanut butter has only peanut granules, without any added sugar, lactose or gluten.
In addition, the texture is usually a little denser, being difficult to pass on the bread, while the normal version has flavors such as chocolate, hazelnut and cocoa, for example.
If you want to add the peanut paste in a restrictive diet, choose the whole peanut paste. If you want to consume the paste just to improve your health, you can choose the versions with natural sweeteners, because they give more flavor to the peanut.
How to choose the best peanut butter
There is no secret when it comes to choosing the best peanut butter. You just need to evaluate some points, such as dietary restrictions, your habits and the practice or not of physical exercises, for example. Details such as texture, nutritional table and flavor may also be important.
The benefits of peanut butter can be enjoyed by everyone. But those who follow restrictive diets need to observe the information on the nutrition table, such as the amount of carbohydrates, fats, kilocalories and proteins. In addition, you should choose the 100% whole peanut butter, which contains only peanuts.
Those who are looking for flavor can opt for the pastes with natural sweeteners, which usually include white chocolate, hazelnut and cocoa. The texture also makes a difference. The smoother ones are easier to spread on bread, while those containing peanut granules are ideal for vitamins and other preparations.
How to consume the peanut paste
You can soak up the benefits of peanut butter in different ways, as it is very versatile. Peanut butter is often included in vitamins, snacks and sandwiches. But remember that it is considered a high-calorie food, so depending on your goal, two spoonfuls will suffice.
You can consume the peanut paste in the following ways:
- On classic sandwiches, along with low-sugar jam and whole wheat bread;
- Along with chopped fruit;
- Spread on rice crackers, along with banana slices;
- Spread on the mashed banana;
- Sauce ingredient;
- For dessert;
- Dipping chopped fruit, such as apples, into the peanut butter.
Dangers of peanut butter
There are many benefits of peanut butter. However, if it is consumed in excess, it can cause allergies, inflammation, abdominal discomfort and even cancer. In addition, if stored improperly, the paste can harbor a toxic and carcinogenic substance called aflatoxin, which is produced by a kind of fungus.
Therefore, to avoid these problems, it is essential that you follow the storage instructions on the product packaging and do not overconsume. Another harm that peanut butter can cause is weight gain for those who do not want it. Due to the many calories present in the product, if consumed in excess, the paste can increase weight considerably.
Contraindications to peanut butter
Despite the many benefits of peanut butter, it is contraindicated for people who have high cholesterol. Although the fats present in peanut butter are unsaturated and good, they can deregulate high cholesterol levels, bringing damage to health. But, if, nevertheless, you want to consume the paste, see your doctor.
In addition, peanuts have a high allergy potential, which should be avoided by sensitive people. If you are not allergic to peanuts, but are allergic to other foods, do not consume peanut paste when you are in an allergy crisis. Wait for it to pass and ask your doctor's recommendation.
Peanut butter has several benefits!
Peanut butter has many benefits. The food can be consumed by those who follow a restrictive diet and want to strengthen immunity, prevent muscle damage after exercise, improve bone health and more.
As it is a versatile food, you can get the benefits of peanut paste in many ways: in snacks, vitamins, fruits and even desserts. If you get sick of the natural peanut flavor, you can switch to tastier versions, such as hazelnut, cocoa or chocolate.
However, even with so many advantages and versatility, be very careful about the risks. If consumed in excess, peanut paste can cause irreparable damage to health.
Also, if you have any complications, be sure to visit your doctor to learn more about consumption. By taking these precautions, you will enjoy all the benefits that peanut butter offers!