Peanut Butter is the smooth velvety blend made by grinding peanuts that undergo dry roasting.

Why is peanut butter gaining popularity?

Peanuts come from the legume family, also known as Arachis hypogaea or groundnuts. They are relatively easy to grown and have high nutrition value, particularly protein. There has been a demand for protein-rich foods and peanut butter has definitely gained some popularity because of it fulfilling nutrition requirements and its incredible taste.

Peanuts are being produced at a high rate in the world. 21 million tonnes is the world record for the production of peanuts. Samara Sterling, the Director of The Peanut Institute stated that peanuts are a “superfood” because they provide high nutrition even in small quantities.

Peanut butter has become an alternative to milk because of its low calorific value and high protein retention. It has been noticed how people are more allergic to dairy options these days. So, peanut butter is a good go-to option.

Veganism has also been gaining popularity. More people are choosing to consume plant-based foods because of personal values and to have better health. So, peanut butter is a good source of plant-based protein.

Peanut butter contains less moisture which contributes to its longer shelf life compared to other shelved foods. It is one ingredient that can be incorporated in many recipes like cookies, cakes, smoothies, protein shakes, sandwiches etc.

Another interesting reason why peanut butter has gained popularity in the last 100 years is WORLD WAR II. You never saw it coming, did you? The meat shortage caused in WWII led to peanut butter gaining popularity and becoming an American icon. It is a known fact that American content dominate the world platform and the whole world, is in some form trying to imitate her.

With the rise in trends like getting abs and being fit, peanut butter also joined in.

Types of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is mainly classified based on texture:

• Crunchy– Crunchy has bits of peanuts along with the peanut butter. There is also super crunchy with whole peanuts in it.
• Smooth– Smooth peanut butter doesn’t have peanut bits in it. It has a smooth velvety texture.

Peanut butter is classified based on type:

1. Regular Peanut Butter: This usually contains sugar, preservatives, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. This has more shelf life.
2. Natural Peanut Butter: This only contains peanuts and oil. This doesn’t have a long shelf life so it has to be refrigerated.
3. Organic Peanut Butter: Here, organic only means that the peanuts used have less or no amount of pesticides. This is more likely to be expensive.
4. Homemade Peanut Butter: This is made at home using a mixer or a food processor after roasting the groundnuts. It has to be refrigerated as well.

Peanut Butter is classified based on taste:

1. Salty: Salt is used to add taste to the peanut butter.
2. Sweet: Sugar or other sweetening agents are used to sweeten the peanut butter.
3. No additives: The natural taste of peanut butter dominates and no other taste agents are used.

Recipe: HOME-MADE PEANUT BUTTER

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of roasted peanuts
2. Jaggery or salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Take 2 cups of roasted peanuts. Put it inside a tablecloth and tie it into a bundle.
2. Rub it back and forth to remove the skin of the peanuts.
3. Take the skinless peanuts to a mixer jar
4. Blend it at low speed until it turns into a smooth paste
5. Add jaggery or salt if you prefer.

Homemade peanut butter is ready. Take it to an air-tight container and refrigerate it.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Cb9ne-w2M&ab_channel=SkinnyRecipes

Advantages and benefits of Peanut Butter:

1.Helps in weight loss: Peanut butter contributes to appetite delay and improves body’s metabolism. 20% of the calorific value in peanut butter is its protein content which further allows one to feel satisfied and full after a meal. One also tends to eat less because the urge to eat reduces. This helps in weight loss.

2.Helps to maintain muscle mass: While losing weight, one tends to lose strength in the muscles and a reduction in the body’s metabolism is noticed. Consuming peanut butter prevents this loss of metabolism and preserves muscle mass.

3.Helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases:  Resveratrol is an antioxidant present in peanuts. This reduces inflammation in the heart vessels, reduces blood pressure and increases blood circulation. Heart attacks are caused by hardening of arteries which is caused by LDL oxidation. Peanut butter reduces LDL oxidation. It also has niacin, vitamin E, magnesium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is an economical way to have better heart health.

4.Manages sugar levels and reduces diabetes:  Potassium is helpful for muscle contraction and plays an important role in reducing blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Peanut butter is rich in potassium which is important for other bodily functions too. Peanut butter has low carbohydrates, high fats and high protein content which helps in controlling diabetes.

Disadvantages of Peanut Butter:

1. Too much is bad: Even though peanut butter is high in nutrition value, too much of it is bad for the body. Drinking a lot of peanut butter on a daily basis would go beyond the body’s limit of saturated fat and sodium.
2. Allergy:  People with peanut allergy should avoid peanut butter because they would have a bad reaction in the body. So, it isn’t really accessible to everyone.
3. Inflammation: Consuming a lot of peanut butter would contribute to having issues with inflammation. It is high in saturated fat which raises cholesterol levels in the body which lead to inflammation.
4. Spike sugar levels:  Most peanut butters have added sugar and sweeteners in them. Eating more of this kind of peanut butter would increase blood sugar levels which is not good for the body in the long run.

Peanut butter for body building

People who go to the gym, working on building muscle and do body building choose to eat more of peanut butter because of its high protein content. Gym goers need to eat a lot of protein to build and maintain muscles. Peanuts are a good source of protein with 25.8 Gms of proteins per 100 Gms. Peanuts are amazing because they are easily available, can be consumed in many ways like peanut butter, boiled peanuts and peanut snacks. It helps to meet the nutrition requirements of gym goers.

Any food if consumed in large quantities is bad for the body. Peanuts are high in calories. So, doctors recommend eating or consuming it in moderate levels. For gym goers, a large amount of energy and calories are required to increase overall body mass and to give muscles a well-rounded appearance. Peanut butter is a good option to have large amount of calories.

Experts recommend having a good, calorie-heavy snack before workout. Peanut butter is a good option as it is rich in carbohydrates and protein.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

1. 2 bananas
2. 200 gms whisked curd
3. 2 tbsp. peanut butter
4. 2 drops vanilla essence
5. 1 tbsp. sugar

Instructions:

1. Add all the ingredients to mixer jar.
2. Blend until all ingredients are combined.
3. Pour it into a glass.

Creamy Tasty Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie is ready! Enjoy!

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=713WNsldTPI&ab_channel=Vijay%27sFoodJunction

In conclusion, peanut butter is very healthy. It has many positive aspects to it. It is rich in fibre, vitamins and mineral content. It also has fats in it. Limited or moderate consumption of peanut butter would have positive effects on health. But, consuming beyond a limit would harm the body. Therefore, be mindful of the quantity.