Peanut butter – American classic
Peanut butter before it became an attribute of athletes was associated mainly with toast or pancake.
Peanut butter differently
In the current culinary and dietary trends, all kinds of pastes dominate. You can grind almost everything – it is carrots and nuts. Sandwich pastes are the most varied forms of vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
There is no wonder that it can be used today, from walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and even pine nuts. If you have a good mixer or blender. In addition, chili, chocolate, caramel or coconut flakes are often added to the classic peanut butter. Each peanut butter tastes a bit different. This walnut has a bitter aftertaste and a clearly noticeable texture. Cashew butter is velvety and mild, with an unusually aromatic, almond-like pistachio reminiscent of the tastiest dessert. Hazelnut is associated with chocolate. They are not aware of their high nutritional status.
Peanut Butter as a Sports Superfood
There is a reason why we can also find peanut butter in every store for active people along with nutrients, isotonics or supplements. It occupies an important place in the athlete’s daily diet. It is an excellent source of energy needed for effective training, and after that it helps to regenerate and nourish the muscles.
Good fat contained in nut butter has a beneficial effect on fat metabolism. In addition, nut butter is a source of arginine, an important amino acid that improves muscle blood flow and strengthens the effects of muscular training. Physically active people know that peanut butter without the addition of salt, sugar or palm oil is best for them and choose a pure product prepared from 100% nuts. An example of these should be taken by everyone who is already reaching or just about to reach for peanut butter.
Good peanut butter – without sugar and hardened fat
It is worth eating peanut butter, because it is a source of good calories, vitamins, minerals and fats. Unfortunately, not all butter has the same high quality. Many producers have nuts with salt, sugar or hardened fat, which reduces their nutrition (and harms health). Therefore, before buying it is worth looking at the back of the label – it may turn out that in some butter the content of nuts is a maximum of 60-70%, and the rest are sweeteners, salt and processed fat. How else to recognize such butter? In contrast to a clean, natural product, it has a compact, homogeneous consistency, it is more difficult to spread and offers a poorer taste experience. True peanut butter is pouring and spicy, and a thick layer of fat is often formed on top. All because it does not contain unnecessary additives. Such peanut butter is worth buying.
Eating peanut butter – is it possible to overdose?
Peanut butter is a caloric snack, but paradoxically it will make it easier for you to lose weight than make it difficult. Although more than half is made up of fat, it is a fat that has a beneficial effect on health. Nuts contain a lot of oleic acid from the group of omega-9 fatty acids (it is also found in olive oil), as well as other valuable multi-and monounsaturated fatty acids, e.g. linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. In addition, they are a source of minerals – zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, potassium, selenium, sodium, calcium or iron (however, the nuts lose iron in the process). They provide us with fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, sugars, phenolic acids, vitamins – vitamins C, E and B vitamins, in particular folic acid and niacin.
Niacin strengthens the nervous system and protects against depressive states, hence the common and well-founded opinion on the positive effect of nuts on brain function. The already mentioned arginine, in turn, reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood. In other words – nuts are a concentrated source of a substance with multiple health-promoting effects. They alleviate oxidative stress, inhibit the development of inflammation, support the work of organs, including the brain, counteract the development of cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance. For vegetarians and athletes, they are an invaluable source of protein and amino acids and effectively prevent shortages.
Peanut butter and allergy
In the topic of nuts, especially peanuts, the issue of allergy is often discussed. Nut allergies are not uncommon. Strong allergens are especially peanut, and therefore traditional peanut butter. People with allergies to nuts should exclude this product from the diet. However, pregnant women do not have to do this for fear of developing a child’s allergy. Currently, it is claimed that eating nuts in pregnancy may even protect offspring from this type of allergy.
Recipes with peanut butter
Traditionally, peanut butter is used to spread bread. His lovers, however, have a lot more culinary applications for him. On its basis you can prepare healthy snacks, cakes or cocktails. On the next page, we present suggestions for a healthy use of peanut butter!