I love peanut butter whether with jelly, banana or even in a humus recipe I have, but I can’t really say I ever thought of it being a healthy weight loss product.  However the answer is a resounding, “Yes,” according to Joy Bauer, the Women’s Health Expert at about.com!

(And we have a wonderful peanut butter berry smoothie recipe below so you can put it to the test yourself…)

Joy points out that research shows that people who eat nut butters, including peanut butter, are less likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  And she says …

PB’s combo of fiber (about 2 grams per tablespoon) and protein (around 4 grams per tablespoon) packs a powerful appetite-suppressing punch.

A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate peanuts or peanut butter for breakfast experienced a significant reduction in the desire to eat for up to 12 hours

Joy makes several points:

  1. As above, It satisfies appetite.  Researchers found peanuts produce a hormone that makes you feel full.
  2. May slim you down – it’s not a great leap from making you feel full and suppressing appetite to helping become slimmer.
  3. Protects the heart – being an excellent source of unsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol.  A Harvard study suggests that women eating an ounce of nuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter five times a week had a reduced risk of heart disease than those who did not.
  4. Good for skin and hair, through the B vitamin biotin and Vitamin E that peanuts contain.
  5. Since peanuts are naturally low in carbs they can prevent sugar spikes and help manage type 2 diabetes.

Do remember that there are around 100 calories in a tablespoon of peanut butter, so don’t eat the jar in one sitting, lol!

And be wise in your choice of brand: avoid trans fats and sugar.  Or better still, make your own peanut butter.  It’s very easy.  Just add a cup of peanuts to your processor with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and blend for 3-5 minutes, depending on your machine.

So with all these benefits, would you like a peanut butter smoothie recipe?  Turn to the Next Page and you’ll have it …

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