I know many people who have been eating bread with peanut butter and a banana sliced on top of this sandwich. My doctor has actually told me that this is extremely unhealthy and that I should touch peanut butter and if I really want it then I should only have one spoonful and that's it. What are your thoughts on this snack in general and is it a healthy meal in your opinion?
I have always thought that this snack was really unhealthy but I have never done research on it. When I was a preschool teacher, we used to feed the children this snack and I thought it was too heavy for anyone's stomach. Especially for those who are trying to lose weight. I like eating peanut butter from time to time so I will have at least two tea spoons per day if not, one tea spoon. I have heard that peanut butter is good for you but not a large amount.
Yes, I remember back when I was in elementary school and through middle school we had sandwiches that consisted of four pieces of bread and peanut butter and then a whole lot of jam on top as well. I just look back at it now and I don't see anything healthy about it. If I had any kind of authority I would try to eliminate this food from schools(haha) because at that age children don't know what the word moderation is so it can really get out of hand.
It does depend on the quality of peanuts. Buy quality peanuts which are not mouldy, soak them and grind them with real pastured butter and it is obviously a lot healthier than the industrial crap sold at the supermarkets.
I don't think this applies to organic or natural peanut butter, does it? Those are purely made from peanuts. I know the cheaper brands use hydrogenated oils. I often have gluten free bread with peanut butter. I don't put banana on it but I don't think that is too unhealthy. I know the caloric intake is high but I make sure it is within my healthy range for the day.
Peanuts are still not ideal for health because they are high in omega-6 and they also contain aflatoxin, one of the most harmful toxins found in food. Nuts like almonds, walnuts and macadamia are better options.
Is it still a food to include once in a while or should I just eliminate it altogether? I eat almond butter more often as it is, but I would completely make the substitution if the health benefits outweigh the taste.
It's up to you, a tablespoon here and there will not be too bad but I wouldn't use it as a main source of protein, or any nut butter for that matter. I use almond butter as well but it's more expensive than peanut butter, unfortunately.
I use a teaspoon of 100% all natural peanut butter as a snack after 4pm but before 8pm every night. Its fairly low in calories, and fills me up enough to make it worth it. The "good fats" are also helpful if you've had a particularly salad type day.
I don't think peanut butter could be considered low-calorie, all nuts are calorie dense because they are high in fat. Pure peanut butter will contain around 500 calories per 100 grams, very dense in calories.
