Peanut butter is a tasty and nutritious pantry staple that you probably already have. On the other hand, if you are on the ketogenic (low-carb, high-fat) diet, you might wonder if peanut butter would work well.
On a keto diet, your carb admission is reduced to approximately 50 grams daily or less. The diet was initially developed as a treatment for epilepsy in children, but it has also been shown to be effective for managing blood sugar and weight loss in adults for short periods.
Peanut butter contains not many carbohydrates but ample amounts of healthy fats. Depending on how it is made, peanut butter can be included in keto diets because of its balanced composition.
Adding Peanut Butter to the Keto Diet
There are two essential considerations to remember if you want to enjoy peanut butter while adhering to the ketogenic diet.
First, look for added sugars in the ingredients. Peanut butter with added sugar is sweeter and better for desserts, but it can have more carbs. Also, be aware of part measures, particularly assuming that you’re attempting to shed pounds. A small amount of peanut butter contains many calories. 2 tablespoons (32 grams) is the standard serving size, which may be less than you think.
If you want an even lesser amount of carbs than in the peanut butter, then you can switch to almond butter. The 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving has 6 grams of total carbohydrates or 3 grams of net carbohydrates.
Best Peanut Butter for Keto
“Look for peanut butter that contains no more than two ingredients: Godfrey adds, “peanuts and possibly salt.” She suggests chunky or creamy Smuckers Natural peanut butter.
She mentions that most regular peanut butter contains 6 to 7 grams of carbs in a two-tablespoon serving. If you subtract the carbs from the fibre, you’ll get between 2 and 4 grams of net carbs. According to Godfrey, most carbohydrates it contains are fibre-based carbohydrates, which break down in our digestive tracts much more slowly than carbohydrates from sugars.
Peanut Butter and Weight Loss
Promote Fuller Feeling
May Help You Lose Weight Peanut butter may help you lose weight because it can make you feel fuller for longer. There needs to be additional research on the specific role that peanut butter plays in suppressing appetite.
Some studies have shown that eating peanuts and tree nuts helps people feel better about their meals and speeds up their metabolism, which can help them control their weight (5Trusted Source).
Protein Advances Completion and Fat Misfortune
The high protein content of peanut butter is remembered to assist with checking cravings. Protein accounts for roughly 17% of peanut butter’s calories, and a serving of two tablespoons (32 grams) provides approximately 8 grams. Consuming enough protein has been shown to increase feelings of fullness, which may help you feel less hungry later. This will aid in weight loss.
During weight loss efforts, it is also important to consume enough protein to maintain muscle mass, as muscle is necessary for strength maintenance. Losing much muscle will hinder fat catabolism, making it difficult to lose weight. A diet low in calories that includes protein-rich foods like peanut butter may aid in fat loss more than a diet low in protein.
May Help Maintain Weight
Even though peanuts contain many calories and fat, they are not linked to weight gain like you might think.
They are metabolized uniquely, according to some experts. However, the most recent research indicates that consuming these foods may assist you in maintaining a healthy weight.
High Calorie
Calories in peanut butter are so many, but in a healthy way which is why people like it. Peanut butter does contain close to 200 calories in a 32-gram serving of two tablespoons. Additionally, fat accounts for more than 75% of those calories. You gain weight easily when the input of calories is more than the number of calories burnt. Because of this, calorie control is an important part of almost every diet for losing weight.
However, when choosing the right combination of food items for your diet, you should consider more than just calories. Protein, dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients beneficial to health are all found in peanut butter. Two hundred calories of peanut butter will have a greater positive impact on one’s health than 200 calories of a highly processed “diet” because peanut butter contains high-quality, nutrient-dense calories. So, when you consume peanut butter, you need to check the number of calories you are intaking to avoid clashes and lose weight efficiently. In the end, your preferences and nutritional requirements should guide your diet.
