IS PB2 PEANUT BUTTER GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU SHOULD YOU TRY IT-min

IS PB2 PEANUT BUTTER GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU? SHOULD YOU TRY IT?

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PB2 peanut butter may make a good peanut alternative to people on restricted-calorie diets as well as to children below 4 years or older fellows at risk for choking. However, it may be nutritionally inferior to conventional peanut butter and lack out on fat and fat-soluble nutrients.

PB2 peanut butter is the powdered peanut butter version prepared by removing that fat content of roasted peanut then grinding the nuts. This results in flavorful peanut butter whose fat-calorie content is 85% less. Having fewer calories from fat makes PB2 powdered peanut butter ideal for those taking calorie-restricted diets and children below 4 years and older fellows susceptible to choking. Many people revere this peanut butter version, using it as a powder or rehydrating it with water to form a paste, both of which options help them enjoy this product. Still, others remain overly concerned about how pressing out natural oils affects the powdered peanut butter and wonder if the powder is good or bad. Keep peering into this article to understand the pros and cons of PB2 powdered peanut butter and if it’s good or bad for you.

Pressing out natural oils to make PB2 powdered peanut butter results in fewer calories

PB2 powdered peanut butter is categorically understood by its lower calorie content, which is 85% less than conventional peanut butter versions whose natural oils are intact. For instance, you get 45 calories from PB2 powdered peanut butter, but the same amount of conventional peanut butter provides a whopping 190 calories. Consequently, those trying to lose weight or limit their calorie intake find PB2 powdered peanut butter an ideal solution to peanut butter. As if that’s not enough, powdered peanut butter still packs fiber and protein found in the normal peanut butter, making it as filling like peanut butter. Many studies question whether PB2 powdered peanut butter actually fastens weight loss, bearing in mind that since the normal peanut butter has protein and fibers, it should typically slow-carb digestion and absorption, slowing down weight gain. Besides, some have also found that PB2 powdered peanut butter versions may not ultimately be better than normal peanut butter in the weight loss lens.

PB2 powdered peanut butter has dramatically lower fat contents

If you want to reduce your fat intake while still enjoying peanut butter, you should go for the powdered versions of this spread, including PB2 powdered peanut butter. Imagine that 2 tablespoons of normal butter add 16 g of fat to the body, while the same proportion of PB2 powdered peanut butter packs only 1.5 g of fat. This may seem ideal, primarily because fats are often labeled as unhealthy and linked to weight gain. Still, remember that the fat found in nuts such as peanut is essential, meaning that the body cannot produce enough of it and relies on the diet to meet its needs for these fats.

Moreover, this type of fat in peanut butter is not categorically bad for your health but results in many health benefits. The main fat is the monounsaturated oleic fatty acid, primarily omega- 9s, which the body benefits from. Unlike omega- 6s, oleic omega- 9 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, meaning that they help the body fight inflammation and free radical accumulation that would result in increased risks of chronic diseases. Consequently, while you can enjoy the low-fat nature of powdered peanut butter, remember that you are missing out on the healthy omega- 9s that your body needs. Still, if you have other sources of fats, including olive oil, avocado, and nuts, this may not be an issue.

Pressing out natural oils may mean missing out on fat-soluble vitamins

Enjoying the low-fat content of PB2 powdered peanut butter does not come without missing out on the opportunity to benefit your body with fat-soluble vitamins. Admittedly, peanuts do not have the fat-soluble vitamins A, K, or D, but it has a fair percentage of vitamin E. In fact, the two tablespoons of normal peanut butter previously discussed makes up 14% of your RDI for vitamin E. Remember, vitamin E is an antioxidant; hence it helps the body fight free radical accumulation and the resultant effects of oxidative stress by donating the missing pair of electrons to makes the molecules stable. However, if you consume other fat-rich foods, including fatty fish, olive oils, wheat germ, and its oils, you should be good to go.

PB2 powdered peanut butter packs some salt and sugar

Like conventional peanut butter, PB2 powdered peanut butter has salt and sugar but in much lower levels. For instance, 2 tablespoons of conventional peanut butter have 140 mcg of salt and some amounts of sugar, but the powdered versions have just a gram of sugar and 97 mcg of salt. As such, you might opt for the powdered peanut butter versions for reduced salt and sugar intakes. What’s more, you might fight salt-free and sugar-free chocolates prepared from powdered peanut butter.

PB2 powdered peanut butter fits well with many recipes

Many people appreciate PB2 powdered peanut butter for its ease of fitting well into many recipes in its powdered or rehydrated pasty form. It makes good dipping or filling for smoothies and other homemade recipes as a paste. The powdered version is even more versatile and can be blended into smoothies, mixed with popcorns, sprinkled on oatmeal, dredged with meat, used for sauce flavoring, or stirred into batters. Despite the wide array of applications, you will still miss out on the creamy mouthfeel of the conventional peanut butter. Rather, PB2 powdered peanut butter is grainier and may even be bitter.

It lessens the risk of choking

We enjoy the conventional peanut butter for its creamy mouthfeel, but this does not come without choking hazards. Thankfully, PB2 powdered peanut butter provides flavor that does not come with this risk. In fact, using it is the powdered version blends well with many recipes, including smoothies, oatmeal, dredged meat, popcorns, and sauces, without increasing the risk of choking, especially for children under 4 years and older fellows. However, rehydrating it with water to form paste makes it sticky and may result in choking.

Conclusion

PB2 powdered peanut butter is prepared by pressing out the natural oil content of roasted peanuts then grinding the nuts. Such peanut butter has 85% fewer calories from fat but also misses on healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins. As such, it may make a good peanut butter replacement for people on a restricted diet but unnecessarily misses out on important nutrients the body needs.

Latest posts by Charlotte Cremers (see all)

MS, University of Tartu
Sleep specialist

Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.

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