9 Reasons to Start Eating Peanut Butter

Weight loss, breast cancer prevention, reducing insomnia, and way more — peanut butter is a natural treasure that can promote many positive changes in the body! It is full of useful vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and elements that your body just craves. All you need to do is just enjoy it in moderation and you will see the results soon enough.

Bright Side is ready with a story about another amazing product that will make our readers healthier. So, grab a spoon and let’s get into it!

1. It helps to reduce the chances of breast cancer.

Natural proteins and natural fats in peanuts might reduce the risk of breast diseases like cancer. This was supported by a study that was done by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the U.S. National Institute of Health. Eating this product daily has a positive effect on your body, and your breasts in particular. So, if you are not allergic to it, be sure to add it to your menu.

2. It boosts weight loss.

It turns out that peanut butter has been unfairly removed from many diet plans, as they consider it to be too fatty. Instead, peanut butter is a great source of protein, fiber, and nutrition. It doesn’t change blood sugar levels and also provides your body with healthy elements. Consuming 2 tablespoons daily can lead to reduced weight gain.

3. It decreases stress levels.

It contains a plant sterol — called beta-sitosterol, which can help to normalize levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Its healthy fats, antioxidants, iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin E help you to make up for the lack of these elements in your body, which will make you feel better. Also, combined with your favorite snack, it will have even a better effect on your mood.

4. It promotes brain activity and memory.

The vitamin E in peanuts supports brain activity. It’s able to boost memory, especially for older people. It was even found that it helps those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. So, a jar of peanut butter could be a good snack to have on hand for your dear grandparents!

5. It helps muscles recover after a workout.

It’s a great pre- and post-workout food. Its fats and carbs will fill you with enough energy for the whole session. It’s also rich in potassium which plays a key role in muscle health in terms of recovery.

6. It controls your blood pressure.

One more awesome property of potassium — it’s able to lower your blood pressure. This effect is supported with magnesium — one more element that peanuts are rich with. To make sure that it works for you, you need to look for an unsalted version of this product.

7. It lowers your chances of developing diabetes.

Another amazing property of peanut butter — it can reduce your risk for developing diabetes. Yes, peanuts contain a lot of fats, but they are unsaturated fats — and they are healthy for you. They are able to improve glucose and insulin stability. In research done by Harvard University, they found some amazing results — women who consumed peanut butter regularly had a 21% reduced risk of diabetes, compared to those who never ate it.

8. It helps you sleep better.

The amino acid in peanuts, called tryptophan, boosts the sleep hormone, melatonin and the happiness hormone, serotonin. It calms you down, slows your body’s processes, and promotes a good night’s sleep. Though, there is no need to eat a lot of it — just a couple of tablespoons should be enough.

9. It’s good for pregnant mothers.

It seems like eating peanut butter during pregnancy can also have a positive effect on the fetus. It is naturally rich in folate, which may help decrease the risk of neural tube defects in your growing baby. Also, the peanut’s useful elements will benefit the mother’s health.

Do you enjoy eating peanut butter? What other sweet spreads are on your sweet-tooth list? Let’s share our preferences in the comment section!