Peanut butter has become so popular that it even has its own World Day (celebrated today, March 1). Although it is true that it is a very nutritious food that, apparently, could replace other ultra-processed options such as commercial cocoa creams, some nutritionists do not recommend regular consumption.
The peanut plant is native to Central America and, contrary to popular belief, it is part of the legume family, so it is not a nut but a legume. However, it is true that the way it is consumed and its other properties bring it closer to nuts.
Although the origin of peanut butter is uncertain, there is evidence that the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations made pastes similar to the product we know today. And its popularization was due to the US army, which consumed it as an energy source during the First and Second World Wars.
Its name in English – peanut butter – leads one to think that it includes butter, but this name is due to the oily texture provided by its own fats.
The consumption of peanut butter has become popular in Spain in recent years for various reasons. The first of them, according to Mireia Cervera, nutritionist and content manager at Teresa Carles Healthy Foods, is globalization and the great influence of American culture through the media, travel and social networks. In addition, she considers that it has also been promoted and made known to people with a vegan diet and athletes.
Another reason is that “it has been recommended as opposed to the typical commercial cream, with a very small amount of nuts and other less healthy ingredients, which does not mean that it is the most interesting food,” indicates Aitor Sánchez, from the Aleris Nutrition Center. .
For her part, Paloma Quintana, a dietitian-nutritionist who has collaborated on programs such as Saber Vivir on TVE and in centers such as the University of Valencia and the Complutense University of Madrid, believes that it is addictive due to the fatty texture that activates some opioids in our brain. and for its economical price.
Among the nutritional properties it provides, the following stand out: proteins (25 grams per 100), healthy fats (mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), vitamins (such as E and group B), minerals (such as magnesium, phosphorus and zinc ) and fiber. However, its composition is 50% fat and provides 588 kcal per 100 grams.
Cervera recognizes that “no matter how free of added sugars and refined oils it is, it is a very caloric food,” so “it is appropriate depending on the proportion in which it is included in the diet.”
Another factor that contributes to the fact that consuming nut creams is not the healthiest option is its easy consumption, which eliminates the time of peeling and chewing it. Therefore, its digestion is also faster, it is less satiating than the whole fruit and a greater quantity ends up being consumed.
Sánchez states that it is not scientifically proven that peanut butter is related to overweight or obesity, as other foods such as soft drinks, ultra-processed products, industrial pastries, sweets and alcoholic beverages are. Instead, he recognizes that “we should watch the portions and not say that it is a food for free consumption, as is the case with vegetables.”
The main risk of the popularization of peanut butter, Sánchez considers, is that “on the Internet they have been recommended without making all these observations” and the consumption of nuts and creams “has come to displace other foods that may be more interesting, like fruit.”
The nutritionists consulted agree that in certain types of subjects, such as high-performance athletes or people who have lost their appetite, it can be a tool to meet energy needs. On the other hand, for other population groups, “it will depend on factors such as age, level of physical activity or state of health,” says Cervera. “A normal daily amount could be two tablespoons,” she approves.
Therefore, peanut butter is neither recommended nor inadvisable, but rather it is one more option to add to the diet as long as it does not replace other important foods. It will always be better to prioritize healthy fats from olive oil, whole nuts, seeds, avocado or oily fish.
