Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter (in Hebrew “חמאת בוטנים”) is made by grinding roasted peanuts. One point worth knowing: the peanut is not a nut but a legume — a relative of lentils and chickpeas that grows underground. That also explains its high protein profile compared with nuts.

100 grams of natural peanut butter provides about 588 calories, 25 grams of protein, 50 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 6 grams of fiber. One tablespoon (16 grams) provides about 94 calories and 4 grams of protein.

What separates the products — the ingredient list

This is the factor that matters more than anything else, and the difference between products on the market is large.

Natural peanut butter contains one or two ingredients: peanuts, and sometimes a little salt. The oil separates and rises to the top — that is a good sign, not a defect. Just stir it in.

Processed commercial peanut butter also contains:

• Sugar — often 8-10 grams per 100 grams.
• Partially or fully hydrogenated palm oil — added to prevent oil separation. It adds saturated fat, and palm cultivation has a significant environmental impact.
• Salt in larger amounts, and sometimes stabilizers.

What this means: two products on the same shelf may be fundamentally different. Checking the ingredient list is the most meaningful thing you can do when buying peanut butter.

Health benefits

• Especially high protein for a plant spread: 25 grams per 100 grams — among the highest in the category, and above most nuts. Its limiting amino acid is methionine, so combining it with grains (whole-grain bread, oats) creates a complementary profile.

• Fat profile: about half the fat is monounsaturated (oleic acid, the same acid that dominates olive oil). Large cohort studies link regular consumption of peanuts and peanut butter to reduced cardiovascular risk and lower overall mortality.

• Vitamin E: about 9 mg per 100 grams — about 60% of the daily value.

• Niacin (B3): 100 grams provides about 13 mg, close to the full daily value.

• Magnesium, manganese and copper: in significant amounts — 154 mg of magnesium per 100 grams.

• Resveratrol and phytosterols: peanuts contain resveratrol (familiar from red wine) and phytosterols, which compete with cholesterol for absorption in the gut.

• Satiety: the combination of protein, fat and fiber provides high satiety. Studies have found that adding peanut butter to a meal reduces calorie intake at subsequent meals, which partly offsets its calorie density.

Peanut allergy — what has changed

Peanut allergy is one of the most severe and common allergies, and unlike many others it usually does not go away with age.

But the guidelines on prevention have completely reversed in the past decade. For years, the recommendation was to delay exposure to peanuts in at-risk infants. The LEAP study (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy), a randomized controlled trial published in 2015, found the opposite: early introduction of peanuts into the diet of high-risk infants, starting at 4-11 months of age, reduced the rate of allergy by about 80%.

Following it, the official guidelines in the US and other countries were changed, and early introduction is now recommended — in a safe form, meaning a thinned spread rather than whole peanuts (a choking hazard), and for especially high-risk infants after medical consultation.

In Israel, the early consumption of Bamba (a popular peanut-puff snack) was cited as one of the clues that led to the study in the first place, because of the relatively low allergy rates observed here.

Downsides and risks

• Calorie density: 588 calories per 100 grams, and about 94 per tablespoon. It is a food that is very easy to eat much more of than planned, especially straight from the jar.

• Allergy: as noted — severe, common and usually lifelong.

• Aflatoxins: peanuts are susceptible to contamination by the Aspergillus mold, which produces aflatoxin — a known liver toxin and carcinogen. The risk is higher in peanuts stored in humid conditions. In developed countries there is regulatory control and levels are low; the large commercial products actually tend to have lower levels thanks to strict quality control.

• Palm oil: adds saturated fat, and its cultivation has a considerable environmental impact, including rainforest clearing.

• Added sugar: in many products, and sometimes not obvious from the front of the package.

• Sodium: in branded products, about 400-500 mg per 100 grams.

• Phytic acid: somewhat reduces absorption of iron and zinc.

• Omega-6: peanut butter is relatively rich in linoleic acid and low in omega-3. In a Western diet that already tends toward a high ratio, it’s worth balancing with omega-3 sources such as walnuts or flaxseeds.

Nutrition facts per 100 grams (natural)

Practical use

What to buy: an ingredient list of one line — “peanuts” (or at most “peanuts, salt”). Avoid products that contain palm oil, sugar or stabilizers.

How much: 1-2 tablespoons a day (16-32 grams), about 94-190 calories. Measure with a spoon rather than eating from the jar — that’s the practical tip that saves the most calories.

Oil separation: a natural and desirable phenomenon in a natural product. Stir well the first time and then store in the refrigerator — that slows the separation.

Best combinations: on whole-grain bread or in oatmeal — the grain completes the missing methionine. With a sliced apple — a combination of fiber and protein with high satiety.

For infants: according to current guidelines, early introduction (from 4-6 months of age) reduces the risk of allergy. You must thin the spread with water or a puree — thick peanut butter is a choking hazard. For infants with severe eczema or egg allergy — consult a doctor before the first exposure.

Summary

Peanut butter is an excellent source of plant protein (25 grams per 100 grams), rich in monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and magnesium, and cohort studies link it to reduced cardiovascular risk. The factor that matters most is the ingredient list — the gap between a natural product and one with palm oil and sugar is substantial. On allergy, the guidelines have reversed: early introduction for infants reduces risk rather than increasing it.