Updated October 16th, 2019 at 16:46 IST

Peanut Butter: Benefits and facts about the tasty food item

Peanut butter is one of the most loved food items. Fortunately, peanut butter is also good for health. Read more to know how and why it's good for health.

Reported by: Pooja Dhar
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There is just something about the way peanut butter sticks to the roof of the mouth and melts that makes it immensely popular with almost all demographics of people. One scoop of peanut butter is all you need to complete making a perfect sandwich. Peanut butter is all you need to satisfy your sweet cravings. But, as much as peanut butter is tempting, people also need to worry about their health. Nowadays, people have become very health conscious. Without knowing all the facts about a food item, people restrict themselves from its consumption. For everyone who doesn’t know much about peanut butter, it is actually good for health and one must have it in moderation as part of a healthy diet. Read ahead to know more about the benefits of peanut butter:

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Peanut Butter Benefits

It’s true that peanut butter has fat, but it is the good kind of fat. In fact, this makes peanut butter really nutritious. Peanut butter actually supplies three macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein, and fat. It may not be as healthy as green leafy vegetables, but it sure is a great source of vitamin E, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, copper, and manganese. Peanut butter also contains vitamin B5, iron, potassium, zinc, and selenium in small amounts.

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A well-known nutritionist, Anshul Jaibharat, says, “Peanut butter contains a certain antioxidant called resveratrol, which has been known to fight free radicals that can cause heart disease and cancer. Studies have shown that peanut butter actually slows down cellular ageing and promotes heart health." Peanut butter is a foodie's best friend. Here are some of the benefits of peanut butter consumption.

Benefits

Weight loss

Peanut butter suppresses hunger, which leads to weight loss. It has the ideal combination of fibre and protein that keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time and you end up eating less. But only a specific amount of peanut butter consumption can lead to weight loss. Anything, including peanut butter, is not good in excess.

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Healthy heart

Peanut butter contains p-coumaric acid that helps in offsetting the damage done to cells that lead to cardiovascular diseases. Peanut butter contains more unsaturated fat than saturated fat. This means that peanut butter is a fat-friendly food item that lowers the risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease. And since there's nothing more indulgent than licking peanut butter off a spoon, once you do -  try to stay on track.

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Protects against neurological diseases

Peanuts are one of the food items with the highest amount of niacin. People who eat foods rich in niacin (vitamin B3) are reportedly less likely to develop memory disorders. The niacin contained in peanut butter also helps in the recovery of cell damage of the brain, providing protection against diseases. The p-coumaric acid content in peanut butter helps fight oxidative stress on the cells of the body associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

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Published October 16th, 2019 at 08:05 IST