Peanuts and natural peanut butter are high in nutrients but also fat. The protein and nutrients make them worthwhile to eat - in moderation, also the fats are the "good kind" of fat as it concerns cholesterol.
Non-natural peanut butters like Skippy Jif and Peter Pan are not so good because they are even higher in fat, and are made with trans fats, which are very bad for cholesterol and trigycerides.
I would eat natural peanut butter and peanuts in moderation (like 1 or 2 tablespoons a day max) and non-natural peanut butter much less often (like one tablespoon per week max)
But that's just me...
Skippy is not that bad but it does have a lot of sodium. If you get natural peanut butter, you'll have less sodium. The calories are the same but they come from fat and protein and no carbs(Skippy has carbs as well). I eat about a tablespoon of natural peanut butter a day, usually during breakfast. The fat and protein keeps you full longer. Plus, its really good in oatmeal, on an english mufiin or even with fruit.
Nothing bad about it, you just have to eat it in moderation.
This is really good to know. I love peanut butter and always bought the store brand that is comparable to Jif. Never really considered buying the organic "hippy" brand. I just figured that it was the same and just a bit more expensive. Looks like I will need to be changing my habits.
Some of the organic hippy brands taste terrible- avoid Krema. You get all the taste of cardboard. But Eastwind nut butters are definitely more delicious than the traditional peanut butters.
Does anybody know much offhand about the different health benefits between peanut butter and cashew butter?
So you can keep track of what you eat - which enables you to analyze your foods and receive the following:
- Health Score of your overall diet
- Warning when you approach your daily calorie limit
- Overview of the good and bad nutrients