Why eating peanut butter for breakfast could help your heart health
This humble breakfast food has the power to give your heart health and energy levels a huge boost
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Louise Thomas
Editor
If peanut butter on toast sounds like your idea of a perfect breakfast you may just be in luck. Whether you scoop a dollop onto your porridge, blend it in a smoothie or spread it on sandwiches, experts say there are a tonne of health benefits to starting the day with a humble scoop of nut butter.
Peanut butter is a great energy source because it contains a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. This trio will help to keep you full until lunchtime and provide your body with plenty of energy to start the day. A breakfast that contains all three of these macronutrients is a winner and will help you hit all your essential energy sources so that your brain and body can function at maximum efficiency.
This doesn’t just help if you’re training in the gym or have a busy day ahead, it can help with general health and longevity too.
What are the health benefits of peanut butter?
Nutritionist Alexa Mullane explains that “peanut butter also contains a high level of antioxidants and polyphenols including resveratrol (the antioxidant in red wine) which has been found to be an antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing nutrient”.
Peanut butter also contains both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower bad cholesterol and potentially reduce the risk of heart disease. Mullane adds that “a study in 2022 found that regular consumption of peanuts led to a reduction in cholesterol levels and they have also been found to reduce blood pressure”.
Not everyone enjoys eating peanuts by the handful but peanut butter can be added to almost any breakfast food, transforming it into a heart-healthy and seemingly decadent meal. It makes a great addition spooned on top of overnight oats and lends protein shakes more flavour.
“Peanuts also contain nutrients that contribute to heart health like arginine, magnesium and vitamin E and eating it regularly has been linked with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, due to the healthy fat found in peanuts, namely oleic acid,” explains Mullane.
Should you eat peanut butter every day?
Peanut butter is also high in fibre, which is essential for gut health and can help you feel full until your next meal. A high-fibre, high-protein breakfast is ideal if you find that you struggle with blood sugar spikes and crashes, feeling hungry shortly after you’ve eaten or feeling tired mid-morning. Due to peanut butter’s low glycemic index, after eating it, your blood sugar levels should remain stable and you should feel satiated until lunch so it makes for a great daily breakfast option.
But if you’re someone who practises intermittent fasting and opts to skip breakfast, nut butter is great for your first meal of the day for the same reasons. Its triple-hit of carbs, protein and fat, along with fibre and other nutrients make it easy on the stomach and a helpful all-rounder for delivering energy throughout the day.
It’s also a great go-to after the gym for topping up your energy reserves, feeding your muscles and aiding recovery. The magnesium and vitamin E content in peanuts is ideal for this and can also help stave off fatigue and combat DOMS.
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to peanut butter, and no one will judge you for opting for smooth over chunky. However, it is important to make sure the nutritional content is helping your body and that the product is ethically sourced too.
If possible, avoid peanut butter with high salt and sugar content and select a palm-oil-free peanut butter for a more ethical solution to your breakfast needs.
The peanut butter to buy
Myprotein all-natural peanut butter, £6.12, Myprotein.com
Made from a blend of roasted brown peanuts, this crunchy peanut butter is all-natural and a great source of protein, ideal for supporting training and curbing cravings. It’s free from added salt, sugar, palm oil, and preservatives while being packed with fibre and the essential nutrients vitamin E and magnesium. Great value for money in a 1kg tub, it will last you a long time and you’ll feel the benefits after every breakfast.
Try our fitness and wellbeing editor’s go-to overnight oats recipe.