by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
Image by Robert Owen-Wahl from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/photos/board-bread-brown-butter-crumb-1239114/
We’re all feeling the pinch in this cost of living crisis. But the good news – a healthy lunch can be less expensive than you think. Easy peasy – just grab two slices of bread, dollop on the peanut butter, slap them together – and Bob’s your uncle! The time-honoured peanut butter sandwich could be a perfect solution!
Who invented peanut butter?
Grinding peanuts into peanut paste was first invented in 1884. Soon after, John Harvey Kellog of Kellog’s Cereal went on to create peanut butter. The first peanut butter-making machine was then patented in 1903. However, it was during World War 2, because peanut butter, jam and sliced bread were commonly found in rations, that the peanut butter sandwich – sometimes eaten with jam – became a popular way to fill up.
59% of UK households with young children regularly purchase peanut butter.
Why is peanut butter healthy?
A great mix of protein, fat and carbs
Peanut butter is a food source with a great mix of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates, plus vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Peanuts are legumes – not nuts
Peanuts are not tree nuts – they are legumes – a food group that also contains lentils, chickpeas and beans. We should all have a more plant-based diet and eat less red meat, and peanuts are a great source of plant protein.
Peanut butter is a good alternative to red meat
Peanuts contain iron, and much less saturated fat than red meat, so they make a great meat alternative.
Peanut butter contains healthy fats
Although they do contain fat, 80% of the fat content of peanuts is healthy, unsaturated fat. The unsaturated: saturated fat ratio of peanut butter is similar to that of olive oil.
Peanut butter is rich in antioxidants
Another advantage is that peanut butter is rich in antioxidants. These are substances found in plants that have health benefits for humans. The human body cannot make antioxidants, they have to be ingested in the diet. Antioxidants counteract the harmful effects of dangerous molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can damage DNA. The presence of ROS is thought to underpin the development of many of the chronic diseases we see today including high blood pressure, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, cancer and dementia.
You can find antioxidants in peanuts, but also especially in bright coloured fruit and vegetables such as leafy green veg, beetroot, peppers, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. This is why it’s vital to eat 5 a day – some would say 10 a day. Eating peanut butter helps meet your target.
Peanut butter contains large amounts of vitamin E
Vitamin E is found in large quantities in peanut butter. It’s an essential vitamin needed to help maintain healthy skin, support the immune system, make red blood cells, and support the function of both the kidney and the eye. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant.
Peanut butter contains essential minerals
Potassium, magnesium, manganese and zinc are all found in peanut butter. Potassium is required for the control of blood pressure, magnesium is vital for bone health, manganese is needed for growth and also for bone health and zinc is needed for protein synthesis.
Peanut butter releases energy slowly
Peanut butter is a low GI food meaning it releases energy slowly, helping you feel fuller for longer and controlling your appetite. Peanut butter on apple slices makes a good snack for those trying to lose weight.
Peanut butter is a good source of fibre
Peanuts are also a good source of fibre, which is so important for good gut health, preventing constipation and protecting the bowel from diverticulitis and bowel cancer. A high-fibre diet also reduces the absorption of cholesterol from the gut and helps lower cholesterol.
Peanut butter is low salt and low sugar
Always read the labels, but good quality peanut butter should not contain added salt or sugar, so it’s a good food source even for those with high blood pressure or diabetes. Choose a brand with no additives.
How much peanut butter should you eat?
Two tablespoons of peanut butter per day can be eaten as part of a balanced diet, using 2-4 slices of bread, preferably brown bread, every day. Peanuts are very calorific, so like most things, peanut butter should be eaten in moderation.
Final thoughts
Peanut butter sandwiches are a relatively cheap, nutritious way of keeping yourself filled up during the cost of living crisis. It’s cheap and easy to keep a jar of peanut butter in the fridge and rustle up a sandwich or eat it on toast when hunger strikes. Choose brown wholegrain bread for the best health outcome.
- When did you last have a peanut butter sandwich?
