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Can peanut butter help with weight loss? Here’s how to add this nutrient-dense popular spread to your diet to burn belly fat.
New Delhi: Who doesn’t love that crunchy, irresistibly delicious peanut butter? Perhaps, this popular sandwich spread holds a special place in the cupboard of many homes. Packed with nutrients, it goes well with almost everything, from sweet to savoury. But considering it’s high calorie and fat content, many dieters avoid peanut butter when on a weight loss diet thinking that it can make them pile on the pounds and expand their waistline.
What many don’t realise is that peanut butter is loaded with healthy fats, protein, fibre, and various essential vitamins and minerals that can actually aid weight loss. In fact, research suggests that peanuts in all their forms, including peanut butter, may promote a flat belly and help you maintain weight over the long term. So how exactly does it help you burn belly fat and affect your weight? Read on to find out below!
How does peanut butter help with weight loss?
May reduce appetite
It is suggested that peanut butter has the potential to reduce appetite and aid weight loss due to its high nutrient content. A Purdue University study found that people who snacked on peanuts and peanut butter felt more satiated and reduced food consumption, compared to those who ate diet foods like rice cakes. Research has shown that consuming a diet that includes foods with high levels of monounsaturated fats like peanut butter can help people lose weight and prevent heart disease.
Studies have also linked the intake of peanuts and tree nuts to increased meal satisfaction and enhanced metabolism, which may support weight management.
Increases fullness and fat loss
Eating protein-rich foods like peanut butter is believed to help curb appetite and promote feelings of fullness, reducing your overall calorie intake and boosting fat loss. Research has shown that taking enough protein can help preserve muscle when trying to lose weight. Read – Here’s a simple Indian diet plan for type 2 diabetes: 3 tips to lose belly fat, lower blood sugar
Good for weight maintenance
Peanut butter is a high-fat, high-calorie food, however, research suggests that people who include peanuts and peanut butter in their diet tend to have lower BMIs and are more likely to maintain their weight than those who don’t. Although researchers don’t exactly know how peanut butter supports weight maintenance, evidence suggests that it may help people maintain healthy body weight.
High-quality food
While peanut butter is high in calories, it’s still a high-quality food, providing you good amounts of protein, fibre, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that offer numerous health benefits. Eating peanut butter alongside other nutritious foods is a good choice as long as you don’t exceed your calorie requirements. Considering that a 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter pack 190 calories, it should be consumed in moderation. Consuming too much of it can lead to excess calorie intake, which may sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Tips to add peanut butter to your diet for optimal weight loss results
Peanut butter can be a great food choice to include in your weight loss diet. But make sure that you opt for the ones that don’t have additional ingredients like additives. Instead, try making your own peanut butter at home to eliminate added fats and sugars.
You can eat peanut butter by –
- Spreading it on a roti, chapati, bread or even crackers
- Using it as a dip for apple slices, celery or carrots
- Stirring it into a bowl of yogurt or oatmeal.
Remember, moderation is the key here. So, to yield the optimal results, you would want to limit your daily intake to no more than a single serving, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. And of course, a balanced diet combined with regular physical activity is the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
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