I'm sure many of us have enjoyed peanut butter and jam sandwiches as kids and still until this day, I must admit it's a favourite of mine. I love peanut butter so much. I put it in my morning smoothie, melt and drizzle over bananas, eat with celery or even right off the spoon... yummy!If you've never gone the all natural route, you should give it a try because it's so much better! It doesn't come sweetened, so you can do that if you'd like. I mix honey into mine before I spread on toast or in oatmeal.
I am also a sucker for almond butter, and am currently fighting my temptation to eat it all day long. Mmmm.. so let's go over some of the benefits of peanut butter:
- high in protein so it will help you feel fuller, longer while giving you lots of energy
- helps repair muscles faster after working out because of high level of protein
- contains healthy fats which help to lower bad cholesterol and maintain overall heart health
- excellent source of potassium which counter acts high levels of sodium in your body and lowers blood pressure
- rich in fibre which aids in digestion
- high in vitamin E which promotes healthy skin and hair
- contains vitamin B6 which is good for the immune system and offers a boost of energy
- contains magnesium which is excellent for strengthening bones and building muscle mass
Try including a few tablespoons of peanut butter a week to your diet, and if you're working out and trying to eat healthy there's nothing wrong with eating it everyday. Remember, eating fats from peanut butter and other "good fat" foods such as avocados, sardines and walnuts keep our hearts healthy, and they should be consumed instead of avoided.
Enjoy!
