Monday, March 4, 2013

Healthy Peanut Butter Foods







Natural peanut butter comes from peanuts.


Peanut butter is made from ground peanuts to form a type of paste that is often used for sandwiches. Peanut butter is a healthy food because it consists of protein, fiber and heart-healthy fats. Peanuts have lots of nutrients that are known to help decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Some peanut butters have extra additives, such as trans fatty acids and sugars that make the peanut butter less healthy than others. A natural peanut butter, which only consists of ground peanuts, is the healthier option because there are no other additives that are added to the peanut butter.


Snacks


Peanut butter can be used in a variety of recipes and can make a great snack. You can mix peanut butter with popcorn for a quick snack. You can also create a custom snack mix with peanut butter, pretzels and breakfast cereals of your choice. Add a spoonful of peanut butter to a smoothie for a little variety. All these ingredients are low in fat and sodium and are full of flavor.








Breads/Muffins


You can add peanut butter to any type of bread or muffin to increase the flavor as well as create a healthy peanut butter food. Add peanut butter to a traditional banana bread to create a different bread that the family will be sure to love. You can also make a peanut butter and jelly muffin with jelly in the middle of the muffin for a surprise. Mix a little peanut butter in your pancake mix or waffle mix before you cook it to add a extra-healthy benefit to your breakfast.


Sauces


Take two tablespoons of peanut butter and heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds to create a savory sauce. Add your favorite spices to the sauce to add extra flavor. Garlic, ginger, cinnamon, basil and oregano are all great options to add to the sauce. You can use the sauce on any vegetable or pasta for a new taste and meal. Not only do these sauces taste good, but they add extra nutrients to any meal because of the nutritional benefits of peanut butter.

Tags: peanut butter, peanut butter, ground peanuts, make peanut, make peanut butter