2571: Can Eating Peanut Butter Help Me Lose Weight? by Kathryn Watson with Healthline on Nutrition & Health

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[00:01:00] This is Optimal Health Daily, episode 2571.

[00:01:04] Can eating peanut butter help me lose weight?

[00:01:06] By Catherine Watson with Healthline.com.

[00:01:09] And I'm Dr. Neal Malik, reading you some of the most popular health and fitness blogs

[00:01:14] out there, with permission from the websites, and always with a bit of my commentary at

[00:01:18] the end.

[00:01:19] Now I'm going to keep this intro nice and short, so let's get right to the post as

[00:01:23] we optimize your life.

[00:01:29] Can eating peanut butter help me lose weight?

[00:01:31] By Catherine Watson with Healthline.com.

[00:01:35] Whether you prefer the creamy or chunky versions, peanut butter is probably not the first thing

[00:01:41] you reach for when you're trying to lose weight.

[00:01:43] Though it's high in protein, peanut butter is also high in fat and calories, packing

[00:01:48] nearly 100 calories into every tablespoon.

[00:01:52] But research suggests that consuming peanut butter might not stop you from losing weight.

[00:01:57] In fact, eating it might even help you shed pounds.

[00:02:01] A diet that includes high levels of monounsaturated fats, like the ones that are found in nuts,

[00:02:07] may help people lose weight and also prevent heart disease and other health conditions.

[00:02:12] This is according to a multi-year study of more than 100,000 men and women funded in

[00:02:18] part by the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation.

[00:02:23] An older 2009 study that followed more than 50,000 women over 8 years concluded that consuming

[00:02:30] nuts regularly slightly lowered their risk of weight gain and obesity.

[00:02:34] While research is ongoing, it would appear there is strong evidence for peanut butter

[00:02:39] as an effective weight loss tool when consumed in moderation.

[00:02:43] Keep listening to find out everything you need to know about consuming peanut butter

[00:02:47] for weight loss.

[00:02:49] How does peanut butter help you lose weight?

[00:02:52] Peanut butter works to help you lose weight in two ways,

[00:02:55] by helping control your appetite and by suppressing blood sugar.

[00:03:00] Peanut butter keeps you fuller for longer.

[00:03:03] Eating low-fat or sugar-free snacks is the first impulse for many of us who are trying

[00:03:08] to lose weight.

[00:03:09] Those kinds of snacks might help if you're trying to cut back on sugar or calorie consumption,

[00:03:14] but the reality is they aren't always filling.

[00:03:18] A 2008 review of the medical literature showed that eating tree nuts or peanut products prior

[00:03:23] to eating a meal or as a snack contributes to a feeling of fullness.

[00:03:28] This feeling of fullness can probably be chalked up to the rich fats and protein in tree nuts

[00:03:34] and peanuts.

[00:03:35] Feeling full led to eating less and resulted in more efficient weight loss overall, according

[00:03:41] to that same review.

[00:03:43] Peanut butter helps your glycemic response.

[00:03:46] Certain foods, especially processed foods and starchy foods, cause a spike in your blood

[00:03:51] sugar.

[00:03:52] Blood sugar that is unstable has been linked to obesity and diabetes.

[00:03:57] But peanut butter, despite its natural sweetness and delicious texture, has a low glycemic

[00:04:02] index.

[00:04:03] Eating peanut butter is a way of consuming fats as well as protein and fiber without

[00:04:08] sending your blood sugar levels into a tailspin.

[00:04:11] One small 2018 study showed that even eating a serving, which is 2 tablespoons, of peanut

[00:04:17] butter with a meal stabilized the glycemic effect of the meal that was otherwise high

[00:04:24] on the glycemic index.

[00:04:26] Best peanut butter for weight loss

[00:04:28] When you're purchasing peanut butter for weight loss, look at the label.

[00:04:32] Some peanut butter brands have tons of added sugar, salt, and preservatives.

[00:04:37] Natural, organic peanut butter brands are the best to choose if you're looking to

[00:04:41] lose weight.

[00:04:42] Read nutrition labels to find the lowest amounts of sodium and added sugar that you can find.

[00:04:47] Be aware that some peanut butter brands advertise their product as a

[00:04:51] peanut butter spread instead of simply peanut butter, which gives them license to add all

[00:04:56] sorts of other ingredients like sugars.

[00:05:00] Crunchy peanut butter does contain more fiber and folate, both of which are essential to

[00:05:05] your health.

[00:05:05] While creamy peanut butter choices may offer a tad more protein content, choosing fiber

[00:05:11] over protein may have the same filling effect with the bonus of promoting good digestion.

[00:05:17] Peanut butter for weight loss ideas

[00:05:20] You can add peanut butter to your diet in lots of creative ways.

[00:05:23] There's no need to stick with the standard PB&J.

[00:05:26] The key to consuming peanut butter for weight loss is moderation.

[00:05:30] Aim for 2 or 3 servings of 2 tablespoons of peanut butter a few times per week.

[00:05:36] If you consume more than that, you run the risk of countering the benefits of peanut

[00:05:40] butter with an extremely high calorie count.

[00:05:43] Recipe ideas that feature a serving's worth of peanuts include

[00:05:47] Adding 2 spoonfuls of peanut butter to your morning smoothie, whether it's a green

[00:05:51] smoothie or a berry blend

[00:05:53] Tossing peanuts in with your salads

[00:05:56] Spreading peanut butter and honey on whole grain toast instead of butter

[00:05:59] Eating Thai-style peanut butter soup with onions, garlic, and tomatoes

[00:06:04] Making a do-it-yourself frozen yogurt bar with grocery store frozen yogurt

[00:06:08] topped with peanuts or peanut butter

[00:06:11] And stirring creamy peanut butter into your oatmeal or overnight oats

[00:06:16] Benefits of peanut butter

[00:06:18] Peanut butter doesn't just contribute to weight loss.

[00:06:21] Consuming peanuts as a regular part of your diet has other benefits too.

[00:06:25] Benefits like

[00:06:26] Helping you recover after a workout

[00:06:29] Peanut butter is high in protein, which you need to boost recovery if you're going hard at the gym

[00:06:34] Peanut butter may reduce your risk of diabetes.

[00:06:37] Because of the low glycemic score of peanuts, consuming peanuts regularly can help keep

[00:06:42] blood sugar stable and lower your diabetes risk.

[00:06:46] Peanut butter is packed with vitamins and minerals like copper, folate, B vitamins, and manganese.

[00:06:52] And

[00:06:53] Peanut butter may reduce your risk of heart disease and other leading causes of death.

[00:06:57] As mentioned, a large multi-year study of dietary habits found that nut consumption

[00:07:03] was inversely related to heart disease, cancer, and respiratory disease.

[00:07:08] Takeaway

[00:07:09] We're still finding out more about how peanut butter affects your body.

[00:07:13] But what we know for now is pretty clear.

[00:07:16] Peanut butter can be a part of a healthy weight loss plan.

[00:07:20] Remember, you won't be able to lose weight by simply eating peanut butter.

[00:07:24] Burning more calories than you consume by eating mindfully and exercising

[00:07:29] is the proven formula for weight loss.

[00:07:31] But eating a serving or two of peanut butter a few times per week may just give you the

[00:07:36] incentive you need to turn down fatty or high sugar foods in favor of healthier options.

[00:07:45] You just listened to the post titled,

[00:07:47] Can Eating Peanut Butter Help Me Lose Weight? by Katherine Watson with Healthline.com

[00:07:52] And I'll be right back with my commentary.

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[00:09:28] Dr. Neil here for my commentary.

[00:09:30] I was with some friends at the beach the other day.

[00:09:33] And whenever I go to the beach, I pack a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

[00:09:37] It's just my go-to beach snack.

[00:09:39] It's portable.

[00:09:40] It doesn't need to stay cold.

[00:09:42] So I don't have to pack a cooler.

[00:09:44] Plus, I don't feel hungry for a while after eating it.

[00:09:48] So anyways, at the beach, my friends saw me reach for my sandwich.

[00:09:52] One of them said,

[00:09:54] Let me guess, peanut butter and banana sandwich, right?

[00:09:57] I said,

[00:10:00] They said,

[00:10:05] At that point, another friend chimed in and said,

[00:10:13] This then began a passionate discussion about the variety of uses of peanut butter like

[00:10:18] eating it plain, having it on top of celery,

[00:10:21] adding it to Asian curry dishes, and of course,

[00:10:24] the ideal peanut butter to jelly ratio on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

[00:10:29] All of this to say that I'm a fan of peanut butter.

[00:10:32] Now, you may have heard that peanut butter increases inflammation throughout the body.

[00:10:37] Now, inflammation throughout the body means the body is under stress.

[00:10:40] And being under this kind of stress for a long period of time

[00:10:44] increases the risk for disease.

[00:10:46] Diseases like cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer.

[00:10:50] But this idea that peanut butter increases inflammation throughout the body

[00:10:54] is simply not true.

[00:10:56] When we look at published research studies, we actually find the opposite to be true.

[00:11:01] Consuming peanuts and peanut butter in their most natural forms

[00:11:05] actually decreases inflammation throughout the body.

[00:11:08] And again, the important thing to remember

[00:11:11] is that we're talking about peanuts and peanut butter in their most natural forms.

[00:11:16] So, very few added sugars and definitely no added trans fat.

[00:11:21] For example, some brands of peanut butter have added sugar and added trans fat.

[00:11:27] But of course, there are plenty of brands that don't have these added ingredients.

[00:11:31] So if you're like me and enjoy peanut butter,

[00:11:34] try and find it in its most natural form and enjoy it,

[00:11:37] knowing that it's likely supporting your optimal health.

[00:11:40] All right, that'll do it for today.

[00:11:42] I'll be back here tomorrow for our usual Friday Q&A,

[00:11:46] so definitely stay tuned for that, where your optimal life awaits.