by Charles Pigott on June 21st 2023
Peanut butter is delicious and one of my favorite foods. I absolutely love it! What I don’t love is how it is marketed as a high-protein food. Peanut butter contains protein, but that does not make it an ideal source of protein. Here is why:
One serving of peanut butter is 2 tablespoons (much less than is usually used). Each serving contains 190 calories, 16g of fat, 6g of carbohydrates (half of them from sugar), and 6-7g of protein depending on the brand.
The available information about optimal food intake for muscle growth varies somewhat, but around 30g of protein per meal is prime for muscle growth. That would mean eating 5 servings of peanut butter to get the amount of protein your body needs in one sitting. 5 servings of peanut butter would contain 950 calories, 80g of fat, 36g of carbohydrates (18gs from sugar), and 30g of protein. This would unnecessarily increase one’s fat intake while also using up a large portion of one’s daily caloric intake. For someone that is focusing on body recomposition (building muscle while losing fat), this would be detrimental.
Now I’m not saying don’t eat peanut butter. It is awesome…enjoy it…I do. Just try not to fall for marketing and keep in mind there are much more advantageous protein options available. I will be following up with a post about my favorite protein sources and where to get them soon.