I Love Peanut Butter

I cannot even begin to express just how much peanut butter I have eaten over my lifetime thus far.  I think enough jars to fill a middle sized suitcase, for sure!  There is something about peanuts in their creamy state that just want me to get up right now from my typing and eat a spoonful with some puffed wheat, a piece of bread, or a cracker.  Speaking of which, I just did right before I started writing this blog post (many spoonfuls with the puffed wheat, just to be clear).  haha

I still remember growing up, how my Dad would tell me you will get fat by eating all that peanut butter.  Interestingly, he was right, depending on the peanut butter you eat.

In order to IMMENSELY enjoy the nutty, crunchy, creamy peanut butter that drips onto the bread and then straight into your drooling mouth, and yet not really gain weight, one must read labels (and still practice some degree of moderation).  The label is what it comes down to.  Or you make your own (or at Whole Foods).  Your peanut butter label should have only one of these combination of ingredients:
1) Dry roasted peanuts.
2) Dry roasted peanuts and salt.
3) Maybe they forgot the roasted part, so still one of the above sans roasted.

That's it.  Skippy, Jiffy or perhaps other brands ending in -y usually do not abide.  They add sugar.  And, sugar makes you fat!!  My Dad was right, eating that kind of peanut butter will go straight to the waistline.  In addition, these brands add other things you cannot pronounce (to make it shelf stable).  An opened jar of peanut butter should be refrigerated.  If your peanut butter doesn't require you to, then check the label.  It might have a lot more than you thought.

Other notes on peanuts?  "Peanuts rank as high as strawberries in antioxidants." (1).  The Journal of Food Chemistry had an article where researchers at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences found that peanuts rivaled many fruits for their antioxidant content.  They were a little shocked.  Peanuts also increase magnesium, folate, fiber, copper, vitamin E and arginine consumption, which all contribute to prevention of heart disease.  As with all things, peanut butter should be eaten in moderation compared to the rest of your diet.  Please don't cut off all other food, especially superfoods, just to eat peanut butter 24/7.  If you do that, then I cannot vouch for the no gain weight scenario.

My most favorite peanut butter--ever--is Trader Joe's Crunchy, Salted Peanut Butter.  Just got the flier today (Culinary Compendium).  Right on the front page is my beloved peanut butter.  Only $1.79.  Can't beat the price or the taste.  I wish I were paid for this commercial!  That's alright, so long as they don't take away my peanut butter!


(1) Source: 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, by Jonny Bowden
www.traderjoes.com
Picture: www.guidespot.com/guides/best_thing_at_trader

Fatty Restaurant Encounters

Healthy or fatty?  What do you think of when you hear of Jason's Deli?  Panera Bread?  Corner Bakery?  In-and-Out?  Yummy....I bet.  Maybe healthy restaurant?  Or healthy fatty restaurant?  Their marketing department probably answers to healthy.  But, how does anything on the menu with uber cheese or buttery delight constitute as healthy?  Does healthy in this context mean fatty too?

My opinion on these restaurants is that they are great alternatives to fast food or greasy spoons because these restaurants care about their ingredients.  But, don't be fooled that the Club Royale at Jason's Deli or the blueberry muffin at Panera is going to help you stay slim.  Culprits to weight gain are still the same: sugar, cheese, butter, etc.  However, if you are going to splurge, restaurants who offer better ingredients will likely taste better and be better for you in the long run than processed junk.

I found an interesting article off Yahoo! Health that helps you understand menu jargon.  Go to a place that serves quality ingredients, and know what will be fatty and what is not so much.  For instance, picking scampi means lots of butter.  Picking parmigiana means breaded and fried.  Picking au gratin means cream, cheese, and some other buttery goodness.  And, one of my own learnings, picking crispy means deep-fried!

Check out the link:
Fattiest Restaurant Words to Avoid