With November beginning, everyone’s minds float right to Thanksgiving and the delicious food that covers the table during the feast. But Nov. also brings attention to another beloved food: peanut butter.
Nov. is National Peanut Butter Month as well as National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. With the creamy spread being served in 90% of American homes as well as its high nutrition value, it is no wonder that it is celebrated.
Before an average American child graduates high school, he or she will consume about 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It is a rare occurrence to find someone who doesn’t love that stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth feeling that peanut butter provides.
Obviously, peanut butter is made out of peanuts. Peanuts are not actually nuts, but a legume related to beans and lentils. The nutritious value of peanuts is extremely high.
First off, peanuts have more protein, niacin, foliate, and phytosterols than any nut. Secondly, peanuts have a higher antioxidant capacity than grapes, Concord grape juice, green tea, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots, and many more.
Beginning on Nov. 4, 1990, Southern Peanut Growers- an organization representing peanut farmers in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi started Peanut Butter Lovers Day.
This date also marks an important date in peanut butter history when Dr. John Harvey Kellogg applied for the first peanut butter patent in 1895. The day celebration expanded to a month after the 100 year anniversary of the patent in 1995.
The celebration grew to celebrate a delicious and nutritious food and the only argument surrounding peanut butter is whether you like it creamy or crunchy.
Health-wise, peanut butter is a great source of protein and nutrients. A serving of peanut butter is two tablespoons, which amounts to around 200 calories and 16 grams of fat.
Most of the fat in peanut butter is heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and less than 4 grams are from cholesterol-raising saturated fats. Peanut butter has more than 7 grams monounsaturated fat and nearly 5 grams polyunsaturated fat. In order to avoid the unhealthy fats, choose peanut butter with no hydrogenated oils by buying organic.
In every serving there are 8 grams of protein. In order to create a complete protein with peanut butter, eating whole grains or vegetables are needed. It really isn’t that hard since, peanut butter is usually eaten spread on bread or even with celery and apple slices.
Even though children love the sticky goodness of peanut butter, it has become known as a healthy food that everybody, including athletes, utilize as a source of energy.
Peanut butter contains vitamins and minerals including folate, vitamin E, potassium, and a low level of sodium. Potassium reduces cramps during and after workouts. Folate is an essential vitamin for lowering blood levels of heart-unhealthy homocysteine, and peanut butter has about 24 mcg of folate. It has almost 3 mg of vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin that promotes heart health.
The only thing that needs to be taken as a precaution is the amount of peanut butter eaten per day. Since it is high in fat and calories, it is important to practice moderation when enjoying it.
So basically, do not eat it by the spoonful, but maybe enjoy it on some warm toast, or in a homemade granola bar. As long as you keep the inevitable addiction under control, peanut butter will be celebrated for many years to come.