Peanut Butter for Weight Loss: Is it a Myth?

Whether you prefer the smooth or crunchy version of peanut butter; it’s probably not the first food you reach for when you’re starting a new weight loss meal plan. Although peanut butter is high in fat and packs nearly 100 calories every tablespoon, research suggests that peanuts in all their forms may not only help you shed weight but also keep it off! Keeping in mind that you are consuming the right quantity with the right method. 

A review published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has suggested that peanuts can assist in curbing your appetite and control your hunger levels. A different multi-year study that was conducted with 100,00 men and women showed that diets with high levels of monounsaturated fats, like the ones found in nuts, may help individuals lose weight and prevent heart disease alongside other health conditions. If that isn’t enough, a slightly older study from 2009 followed more than 50,000 women over eight years consuming nuts regularly and results showed their risk of weight gain and obesity had lowered. 

Now you’re probably wondering, if peanut butter is so high in calories in fat how can it help me lose weight? Well eating peanut butter aids weight loss in two ways by controlling your appetite and suppressing your blood sugar. A review done in 2008 shows that eating peanut products prior to eating a meal or as a snack promotes feelings of fullness, which results in eating less leading to more efficient weight loss. Eating peanut butter suppresses your blood sugar because