Peanut butter is one food many of us love to snack on.
But it’s not a food commonly seen on a traditional Mediterranean diet, so you might be wondering if you can eat it.
This article will go through some of the key points to remember so you can make an informed choice.
Is Peanut Butter Healthy?
Peanut butter is fairly rich in nutrients and a decent plant-based protein source. It’s also loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Here’s the breakdown of the most abundant vitamins and minerals found in peanuts:
Peanuts, raw 0.25 cup/36.50gCalories: 207
| Nutrient | Amount | Daily Recommended Value (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | 0.42 | 47 |
| Manganese | 0.71 mg | 31 |
| Vitamin B3 | 4.40 mg | 28 |
| Molybdenum | 10.77 mcg | 24 |
| Folate | 87.60 mcg | 22 |
| Biotin | 6.40 mcg | 21 |
| Vitamin E | 3.04 mg (ATE) | 20 |
| Phosphorus | 137.24 mg | 20 |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.23 mg | 19 |
| Protein | 9.42 g | 19 |
Credit: WHFoods
Many studies have found peanuts can help lower LDL (the ‘bad’) cholesterol, heart disease and cardiovascular disease risks (1, 2, 3, 4).
One study found women who ate peanut butter 5x per week or more were at a 21% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (5).
Peanut Butter Contains Saturated Fats — Is That Healthy?
The Mediterranean diet generally recommends lowering your saturated fat intake.
A typical 2 tbsp serving of peanut butter has 3.3g of saturated fat.
- In the UK, the NHS recommends 30g of saturated fat a day for men and 20g for women at most.
- In the US, The American Heart Association recommends 5-6% of calories come from saturated fats. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that equals 11g-13g of saturated fat.
Simply eliminating all foods containing saturated fats might not be the best idea though. This is because foods tend to get replaced with refined carbohydrates and sugar. This may worsen the risk of cardiovascular disease (6).
Instead replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats helps reduce heart disease (7).
Foods aren’t unhealthy simply because they contain saturated fat. It’s the whole package of nutrients that determines how healthy a food is
Even healthy foods such as olive oil which are regularly consumed in the Mediterranean diet contain some saturated fats.
Even though it has saturated fats, it is also full of healthy unsaturated fats too. About 80% of the fat found in peanuts is unsaturated. These are found in similar ratios even when compared to olive oil.
In moderation, some saturated fat is fine. Eating a lot of it though can clog up your arteries and underlies most cardiovascular diseases.
Can I Lose Weight on the Mediterranean Diet Whilst Eating Peanut Butter?
Because nuts are high in calories and fat, many people avoid eating them out of fear they are fattening.
However, those fears are misguided. Studies regularly find eating peanuts doesn’t result in weight gain and may even prevent it (8, 9, 10, 11, 12).
One study found that those who ate two or more portions of nuts a week had a 31% lower risk of weight gain than those who never or rarely ate them (13).
There are a few reasons for this:
- Nuts have a high satiety value. This means they help you feel fuller for longer and this helps reduce overall calorie intake (14, 15).
- Some studies suggest we may not absorb 5% to over 20% of the fat in nuts, which is excreted instead (16, 17, 18, 19).
What Type of Peanut Butter Should I Buy?
You should try and buy peanut butter that is as close to 100% peanuts as possible, with some salt at most. Check the ingredients on the label before you buy.
Many brands add extra ingredients such as oil and sugar to enhance the flavor. The problem is this can also reduce their nutritional value.
Some of the common ingredients you’ll want to watch out for include:
Ingredients to Avoid in Peanut Butter
Hydrogenated oils
Liquid unsaturated oil is turned into a solid fat by artificially adding hydrogen. This process is called hydrogenation.
During this process, trans fat is made. Trans fat can increase the risk of many health problems including heart disease and inflammation.
Palm oil
These do add some extra saturated fats to the peanut butter already.
However, are additional environmental concerns with the plantations needed to grow palm oil.
This is mainly because oil palms need to grow near the equator or high-productivity areas with high biodiversity. Plantations can often destroy biodiverse habitats like rainforests.
Often palm oil is certified as sustainable, but it seems unlikely that any plantations can be truly sustainable.
If you’re following a Mediterranean diet and want to eat locally sourced food, then be aware.
Stabilizer E471
Stabilizer E471 is a mono- and diglyceride of fatty acids. It is used as an artificial stabilizer, often used instead of palm oil.
The stabilizer helps oil and water to blend. This prevents the oil in peanut butter from separating.
Currently, food producers mostly use monoglycerides and diglycerides in small amounts. This makes it difficult to say how eating large amounts of these types of fat will impact human health.
Mediterranean Recipes Using Peanut Butter
Peanut butter can be used in many styles of cooking and is also great for vegetarians, dairy-free and gluten-free diets. Try some of these delicious recipes below.
Chickpea Peanut Butter Curry
Our hearty chickpea peanut butter curry is a delicious choice if you’re looking to reduce your meat, yet still have something that fills you up. It’s high in protein, and full of delicious tastes from the ginger, peanut butter and Thai curry paste.
Mediterranean Peanut Butter Banana Flax Oatmeal
We’re always a big fan of eating oats on the Mediterranean diet, and this can be the perfect time to add peanut butter to the mix. It combines some bananas for extra energy and flax to get those plant-based omega-3 fats in.
These are also some healthy peanut butter balls worth trying, but if you’re looking for something more indulgent, try these peanut butter cupcakes or these chewy peanut butter cookies.
In Summary
Peanut butter isn’t found in traditional Mediterranean diets. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat it though.
If you buy 100% peanut butter, the health effects of regular peanuts should be almost identical to those of peanut butter. It’s essentially just ground peanuts.
As with all types of nuts, they contain high amounts of plant protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Although they are calorie-dense, most studies suggest they can help you lose weight.
Simply eat in moderation, don’t gorge and you’re all set.