Peanut butter has many benefits. A delicious spread for a weight loss snack, it helps promote satiety and keeps you full for long. But beware of these side-effects in case your peanut butter gets spoiled.
Peanut butter is fast gaining popularity as a superfood that is also great for heart health if consumed in moderation as it has a perfect mix of unsaturated fats, fibre, protein, apart from other essential vitamins and minerals. Peanut butter is fairly rich in vitamins and minerals. A delicious spread for a weight loss snack, it helps promote satiety and keeps you full for long thus curbing those unwanted and untimely hunger pangs that threaten to derail your weight loss journey. Peanut butter can also help control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. According to a study, consumption of peanut butter five times or more per week reduced the incidence of diabetes by 21%. Peanut butter is quite nutrient-dense and one should avoid eating it in large quantities as it has some amount of saturated fat too which can be harmful for health. Peanuts are also high in phosphorus, which may affect your body’s absorption of other minerals like zinc and iron. It also contains plenty of other biologically active nutrients, which can have some health benefits. Peanut butter is quite rich in antioxidants like p-coumaric acid, which may reduce arthritis in rats
Peanut butter is nutritious, rich and protein-packed. It is made from ground peanuts, roasted nicely and made into a thick consistency paste. It is calorie dense and lot of people eat with fruits, sandwiches, biscuits and many other foods.
Different ways to add peanut butter to the diet:
• In milkshake
The best way to have peanut butter is to add in your milkshakes. Blend it with seasonal fruits, add with mixed seeds or nuts and then you are good to go.
• Mix with granola or muesli
A proper nutritious breakfast makes you feel energetic through the day. Having peanut butter with a granola or muesli smoothie with some dash of dry fruits will definitely help you have a hearty breakfast.
• Spread it on your breads
You can spread peanut butter on your healthy breads for a satisfying evening snack. You can also add some peanut butter on the top of your frozen berries to turn it into a delicious and super wholesome snack.
• Hummus + peanut butter
Hummus is made of chickpea and is very healthy if added in salads, used as a dip or as a sauce. How about mixing some peanut butter with hummus to give it a touch of sweetness which can also be enjoyed by kids as snack.
Peanut butter is low in fat and high in protein compared to regular butter, so it is a great alternative to use on cupcakes, pancakes, breads, sauces and popcorns.
SIDE EFFECTS OF SPOILED PEANUT BUTTER
There could be many ways to add peanut butter in diet. But do you know if you consume spoiled peanut butter, it may have side effects that can lead to several health problems.
Prachi Shah lists side effects of spoiled peanut butter:
• It inhibits mineral absorption
• It leads to stomach or gut issues
• There could be an allergic reaction
• It may lead to inflammation
• Your cholesterol levels spike up
• There could be more sugar than you realise
• It may lead to nutritional deficiency
One should use peanut butter up to 3 months in the pantry.
Its shelf life totally depends on how you store it. It’s better to store for 3 months and keep in the fridge. Avoiding refrigeration can spoil the peanut butter and cause adverse effect to the body. Use wisely,” says the nutritionist.
Peanut allergy
For people with a peanut allergy, peanut butter can cause a variety of possible allergic reactions, including life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potential effect has led to banning peanut butter, among other common foods, in some schools.
Symptoms
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Tightening of the throat
- Itching
- Skin reactions such as hives and swelling
- Digestive problems
As an ingredient
Peanut butter is included as an ingredient in many recipes: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter cookies, and candies where peanut is the main flavor, such as Reese’s Pieces, or various peanut butter and chocolate treats, such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and the Crispy Crunch candy bar.
Peanut butter’s flavor combines well with other flavors, such as oatmeal, cheese, cured meats, savory sauces, and various types of breads and crackers. The creamy or crunchy, fatty, salty taste pairs very well with complementary soft and sweet ingredients like fruit preserves, bananas, apples, and honey. The taste can also be enhanced by similarly salty things like bacon (see Peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich), especially if the peanut butter has added sweetness.
One snack for children is called “ants on a log”, with a celery stick acting as the “log”. The groove in the celery stick is filled with peanut butter and raisins arranged in a row along the top are “ants”.
Plumpy’nut is a peanut butter-based food used to fight malnutrition in famine-stricken countries. A single pack contains 500 calories, can be stored unrefrigerated for two years, and requires no cooking or preparation.