Peanut Butter Nutrition Facts

A delightful peanut butter sandwich is an all time favorite snack among adults and kids alike; more so, because peanut butter is so yummy, and a sandwich is the easiest way to have it! People who try to watch their weight think it is inevitable to avoid this indulgence to enable effective weight loss. But before you take that big leap that will leave you craving for more, let's understand the nutritional value of natural peanut butter.

Nutrition Facts

Research has shown that peanuts are rich in a variety of nutrients. Thus, peanut butter can be considered as healthy. It is better to eat natural or raw, unrefined varieties as processed varieties are rich in trans-fatty acids, which can cause cardiovascular diseases. Also, natural peanut butter retains the skin of the peanuts which have significant nutrients.

• Calories: The calorie breakdown in natural peanut butter is as follows:
  • Fats - 72%
  • Carbohydrates - 14%
  • Protein - 15%
  A total of 100g of peanut butter contains approximately 590 calories.
• Proteins: Peanut butter is a rich source of protein. 2 tbsp of peanut butter has approximately 8g or 200 calories of protein.
• Dietary Fiber: 8%, a high amount of dietary fiber is found in peanut butter.
• Vitamins: High amounts of vitamins such as niacin or vitamin B, and vitamin B3, K, and E as well as good amounts of riboflavin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, and folate are present in peanut butter.
• Minerals: Even minerals in sufficient amounts are found in peanut butter, namely, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus in addition to smaller amounts of sodium, zinc, iron, calcium and selenium.

Nutritional Benefits

Because the maximum number of calories belong to fats, it is natural that those who are overweight avoid peanut butter in large quantities. However, it has several nutritional and health benefits, as has been highlighted by the aforementioned nutrition facts.

• It has been found that these fats in peanut butter are healthy fats - monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated, which help rid the risk of developing problems related to cholesterol and heart disease.
• People who wish to lose weight are advised to consume high amounts of protein rich foods to be able lose and maintain weight. Since, fairly good amounts of protein are found in peanut butter, consuming at least 1 tbsp in a day with a slice of wheat bread, will keep the stomach full for longer and will prevent unnecessary advances towards unhealthy snacks.
• The risk of developing diseases like colorectal cancer and atherosclerosis can be warded off, thanks to the dietary fiber in peanut butter.
• Vitamin E is known to be effective in reducing the risk of cancer and other cardiovascular diseases. Even niacin or vitamin B helps in repairing cell damage thereby preventing cancer. It also prevents the development of Alzheimer's disease.
• Iron promotes healthy function of the blood in the body, while calcium, though present in small amounts, is essential for healthy bones. Potassium helps in preventing and dealing with hypertension.
• The healthy fats in peanut butter also help reduce the risk of developing gallstones, which mainly occur due to high levels of cholesterol.

As no good occurs from overdoing anything, so is the case with eating peanut butter. The above-mentioned nutrition facts of peanut butter will throw light on the reality that, in small amounts, it can actually help the body to remain healthy and reduce the potential risk of developing a number of diseases. So, go ahead and relish that peanut butter sandwich you have been craving for all these days!