What are the Benefits of Peanut Butter for Bodybuilders?

There’s no doubt that Peanut Butter is one of the most loved nut butters across the world. Made from ground dry and roasted peanuts, some brands include other added ingredients like – salt, sugar, oil to enhance the flavor profile.

These days there are various kinds of peanut butters available in the market, like crunchy (also called chunky) and creamy (also called as smooth), and flavored.
If you’re looking for a healthy butter option for breakfast, then peanut butter may be a good choice. It is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. It is also a balanced source of energy and provides all three macronutrients – fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. With 25% protein, peanut butter is considered to be one of the best sources of plant protein.

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What are the benefits of peanut butter for bodybuilders? 
Peanut butter is a good source of protein for athletes and bodybuilders. It also contains heart-healthy fats, and essential minerals to compensate for your daily requirement. If you’re a bodybuilder or athlete, you can include peanut butter recipes for breakfast, have it with fruit, or whole wheat toast, add it to smoothies as well. The high protein content in Peanut Butter will help in muscle building and repair, monounsaturated fats will keep your heart healthy, and fiber will aid digestion.

How much peanut butter to eat? 
The amount of peanut butter that you should eat depends upon your fitness goals, performance, and exercise routine. Experts suggest that a serving of 2 heaped tablespoons in a meal is a good amount.​

Easy Peanut Butter Recipes
Follow these healthy and easy peanut butter recipes to include a dose of thick creamy peanut butter in your daily diet

Peanut Butter Pancakes 

• Ingredients –
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter (melted in the microwave)
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup milk

Procedure –
Combine all the ingredients and blend until mixed well. Heat a skillet and brush a little oil. Pour batter into the skillet, and cook until bubbles begin to appear. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
Garnish with fresh fruits – banana, kiwi, strawberry, blueberries etc, honey or maple syrup and enjoy.

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Overnight Chocolate Peanut Butter Oats 
This recipe is easy as all the prep is done at night, in the morning all you need to do is stir and eat.

• Ingredients –
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 1 ½ tbsp chia seeds
  • ½  tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 cup almond milk/ soy milk
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter

Procedure –
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, except peanut butter. Let them set in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning add a spoonful of peanut butter and mix well. Garnish it with banana or berries and enjoy a delicious breakfast!

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No-Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bites
For that sugar rush when you want to indulge in something, but the guilty needs to be healthy, these delicious and easy-to-make peanut butter bites are perfect for your evening coffee or as a mid-meal snack.

• Ingredients –
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
  • ¼ cup chopped almonds
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 2 ½ tbsp peanut butter (melted in the microwave)
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup ground peanuts/ almonds (to roll the balls)

Procedure –
Combine oats, almonds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, salt, and cinnamon powder in a large bowl. Add melted peanut butter (make sure to cool it slightly before adding), honey, vanilla extract, and mix well until everything is combined. Once the mixture is sticking together, add chocolate chips.
Roll the dough into small balls and then roll them into chopped peanuts/almonds. Store these in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.

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How is it healthy?
Peanut butter is a nutrient-rich nut butter which is an excellent source of antioxidants and protein. Each serving provides 190 calories, 16g of fats, 3mg of vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208g of potassium, and 0.17mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. It also provides other essential minerals and vitamins –

• Vitamin B3
• Folate
• Copper
• Manganese
• Phosphorus
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Iron
• Biotin

Research also shows that eating peanut butter in limited quantity regularly decreases the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

How to eat it as a snack? 
A lot of people favor eating peanut butter as a snack. You can simply eat a spoonful and relish the creamy taste.

• Use it as a dip and eat it with fruits and veggies. Indeed a healthy snack and a great way to curb those sweet cravings. Apple, cucumber, celery, and carrot taste very well.
• Spread it on whole-wheat toast, add sliced banana, pour some honey, sprinkle sunflower/ pumpkin/ chia seeds and your mid-morning snack is ready. You can also enjoy a simple peanut butter sandwich with milk or coffee

Benefits of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a favorite of many. It is not just tasty but also has various health benefits as well. Read the list of peanut butter benefits below –

• Helps you lose weight: Peanut Butter for weight loss calorie-restricted diet works best. Nut butter is an integral part of this diet. Peanut butter is high in protein and fiber. The monounsaturated fat and high protein content of peanut butter make it highly satiating. You’ll feel fuller for longer and hunger pangs will also be reduced which will in turn help in weight loss.
• May reduce the risk of diabetes: Eating peanut butter reduces the risk of diabetes. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was found that consuming 1 ounce of nut butter reduces your risk of diabetes by 30%.
• May prevent gallstones: In a study, it was shown that individuals eating five or more servings of nut butter per week have 25% – 30% lower risk of getting gallstones.
• Good for heart health: Peanut butter is rich in heart-healthy fats. It also is a good source of potassium, which lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
• Rich in fiber: Fiber is essential for a healthy digestive system. Peanut butter has a high fiber content which helps to keep your bowel movement in check.
• High nutritional value: It is rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, and magnesium to fortify your bones and muscles. Monounsaturated fats present in peanut butter are protective of brain health and functioning.
• Fights stress and build up immunity: Experts say that consuming peanut butter regularly helps fight signs of stress. It contains beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, which is used to balance with other hormones during high stress levels. Beta-sitosterol also helps improve immunity.

Although there are many benefits, excess of anything can cause adverse effects on your health. The same holds true for peanut butter as well. Make sure you choose high-quality organic peanut butter. Some of the best brands of peanut butter in India are – Healthkart Peanut Butter, Alpino Peanut Butter, and MB Peanut Butter. You can easily buy peanut butter online.