Best time to eat peanut butter for weight loss

The best time to eat a tbsp of peanut butter is before a high-calorie meal. Fiber and protein in peanut butter reduce appetite, while minerals and other compounds boost the metabolism, helping the body burn belly fat.

Can peanut butter make you gain weight?

Certainly, peanut butter can make you gain weight, as it has many calories. Just a tablespoon has about 95 calories! Peanut butter has almost 600 calories per 100g.

Moreover, many peanut butter brands contain added sugar and salt. Avoid them. Extra salt makes you fat, as it increases cravings and makes you feel bloated.

Most noteworthy, many peanut butter brands contain trans fats. Trans fats give peanut butter a desirable texture. Otherwise, peanut butter gets oily at room temperature. But, trans fats are dangerous for our health and also, make us gain weight. Avoid any peanut butter with hydrogenated vegetable oils.[1,2]

How to eat peanut butter for weight loss?

Moreover, you should avoid eating foods high in fat, such as peanut butter, with sugar or refined carbs. This combination can make you gain weight. The body metabolizes sugar for energy, while it stores most fat from food as body fat.

Common peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with white bread are bad for losing weight! Only snacks with whole grain bread and sugar-free jams and jellies support weight loss. Prefer consuming healthy jams, like blueberry jam, with no added sugar.

However, when consumed between meals, a PB&J sandwich, as part of a well-balanced diet, supports weight loss!

How much peanut butter a day for weight loss?

We should be extra cautious with portion sizes If we want to lose weight. We should consume only 1 tbsp of peanut butter a day. Only athletes, active people and people with normal body weight could consume more.

A tbsp of peanut butter a day is good for weight loss

Peanut butter is good for weight loss and health. It has a superior nutritional value!

Peanut butter reduces appetite!

Peanut butter helps us lose weight, as it regulates appetite and reduces cravings for fattening foods. It helps us consume fewer calories in a day!

Peanut butter has a huge satiating effect, as it’s pretty rich in protein and fiber. These macros, along with water, make us feel full for many hours! Just a tbsp of peanut butter provides almost 4 grams of protein and 1 grams of fiber![3,4]

For a higher satiating effect, you better consume peanut butter with whole wheat bread. Whole wheat bread contains much more fiber and protein than white bread.

Fats in peanut butter are good for weight loss!

Additionally, peanut butter is particularly rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. In fact, 53% of fats are monounsaturated, 30% are polyunsaturated, and only 17% are saturated fatty acids!

According to the American Heart Association, if consumed in moderation, monounsaturated fats can reduce LDL-cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.[5]

Moreover, monounsaturated fatty acids are good for weight loss, as they help burn more body fat for energy, reduce cravings, increase insulin sensitivity, and maintain a healthy body weight.[6,7]

Peanuts have a superior nutritional value!

Above all, peanuts and peanut butter are high in nutrients, which are important for weight loss and good health.

Niacin & tryptophan

First, peanut butter is a good source of niacin. 1 tbsp contains about 13% of the Daily Value! Niacin promotes weight loss, as it’s involved in the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins. It helps the body obtain energy from the food.

Moreover, peanuts are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which can be converted into niacin. Additionally, tryptophan is involved in the synthesis of serotonin. Serotonin is a brain chemical that prevents cravings for fattening food.

Magnesium

Furthermore, peanut butter is rich in magnesium, which is necessary for weight loss. It regulates glucose metabolism, builds muscle mass, prevents water retention, and it’s vital for the synthesis of testosterone!

Normal testosterone levels are important for decreased fat mass, and improved insulin sensitivity. Obese people tend to have lower testosterone levels.[8]

Peanuts are excellent sources of boron and arginine as well. These compounds also promote testosterone synthesis.

Folate

Moreover, peanuts and peanut butter are excellent dietary sources of folate. Eating foods rich in folate (or folic acid) is beneficial for weight loss, as it plays a key role in protein and lipid metabolism. Also, it’s involved in the synthesis of many hormones, such as serotonin. Low folate intake has been linked to weight gain, higher Body Mass Index (BMI), and waist circumference.[9]

Copper

Also, peanut butter is a great source of copper. Just a tbsp provides the 9% of the DV! Adequate amounts of copper are crucial for weight loss, as it affects lipid, glucose and cholesterol metabolism.

Manganese

Peanut butter is also a good source of manganese. Manganese is involved in amino acid, cholesterol, glucose, and carbohydrate metabolism!

Resveratrol

Moreover, peanuts, grapes, berries, and red wine are the only dietary sources of resveratrol. Resveratrol is a polyphenol which plays a key role in weight loss. It helps decrease Body Mass Index (BMI), fat mass, and waist circumference. Additionally, resveratrol significantly increases lean body mass and energy expenditure![10,11,12]

Vitamin B6

Also, peanuts are pretty rich in vitamin B6, which is necessary for maintaining a healthy body weight. It’s involved in protein, carb, and fat metabolism, as long as in the synthesis of GABA. GABA reduces appetite, and increases the Human Growth Hormone levels, improving body composition.

Methionine

Last, but not least, peanuts contain high amounts of methionine. The body needs this amino acid to synthesize carnitine. Carnitine is also an amino acid which burns belly fat. It burns more body fat for energy during exercise, preserving the precious muscle glycogen. In fact, carnitine is a popular supplement among athletes, and people who want to lose weight.

What’s the best time of the day to eat peanut butter for weight loss?

As peanuts and peanut butter have a high satiating effect, the best time to eat a small serving is before a high-calorie meal. Peanut butter will keep you full, reducing total energy intake. Also, minerals, amino acids, and other compounds in peanut butter can really boost the metabolism, helping burn belly fat.

Therefore, you could eat a PB&J sandwich as a healthy snack between meals. Also, you could eat a PB&J sandwich:

What’s the best peanut butter for weight loss?

As a rule of thumb, you should consume whole, plant-based, unprocessed foods to maintain a healthy body weight. Processed foods may contain extra salt, sugar, trans fat, or preservatives!

As a rule of thumb, whole peanuts are more nutritious than peanut butter. For instance, a serving of whole peanuts has more calcium than most commercial peanut butters.

You should prefer peanut butters containing only peanuts. Avoid peanut butters with added sugar, salt, or any vegetable oil.

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