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Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter
What is it:
Peanut butter is a creamy spread made from ground peanuts. The production process begins with shelled peanuts, which are roasted to enhance their flavor and loosen their oils. The roasted peanuts are then cooled and ground into a thick paste. Sometimes, additional ingredients like salt, sugar, or hydrogenated vegetable oil are added for flavor and texture. The mixture is continuously ground until it reaches the desired consistency, ranging from smooth to chunky. Finally, the peanut butter is homogenized to ensure an even distribution of oils and other ingredients. Peanut butter is commonly used in sandwiches, desserts, sauces, and dips.
Rating:
Peanuts are rich in healthy fats and protein, as well as functional compounds such as antioxidants. They have been studied for various health benefits, including improving cardiometabolic parameters such as reducing triglycerides. However, it is important to note that peanuts are common allergens and mold commonly grows in peanuts during production, which can result in the formation of toxins called aflatoxin. While preventative measures are taken to reduce the risk of this mold growing in processing plants, the final product may still have traces of mold and aflatoxins. While many peanut butters simply contain peanuts and salt as ingredients, some may have added fillers, sugars, and preservatives, so it is important to check the nutrition label. Choosing organic options can help reduce pesticide exposure.
Resources:
- Functional properties of peanuts (review)
- Regular consumption of peanuts reduces triglyceride blood levels in healthy subjects (randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis)
- The presence of mycotoxins in peanuts (review)
- Assessment of aflatoxin exposure risk from peanuts in various countries (exposure analysis)
- Reduction of aflatoxins in soybeans
- Peanuts as allergens (review)
- Peanut butter attenuates the magnitude of glycemic response in healthy adults (clinical trial)
- Peanut Butter Food Safety Concerns (review)
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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