Okay, to mix my metaphors, let’s talk turkey about peanut butter. Many people tell me that they eat peanut butter for protein. But peanut butter is a very mixed benefit food. Tastes fabulous, makes great cookies, but as a protein source? So-so at best. Two tablespoons of protein (a small serving) has 188 calories/9 g protein /12g fat. While the 9 g is great, the fact that there are more grams of fat than grams of protein is not so great, nor is the fact that protein is an “incomplete” protein. What does that mean? That means that it does not contain all 20 amino acids which are the building blocks of all of our muscles. Chicken, beef, milk contain all 20 and are considered complete. So in order for peanut butter to even count as a protein source, you need to eat it with 9g of complementary proteins, i.e., some other protein source that compensates for the amino acids missing in peanut butter. This would include bread, rice or cereal. So when all is said and done, you end up consuming almost 300 calories for only 9 g of protein with a bunch of fat to boot. Peanut butter snack crackers (like the ones in the office) have even less protein; the average package of 6 only has about 6g of protein.
Consider this: peanut butter is what doctors feed to patients that we’re trying to get to gain weight, not lose it!
Compare this to cottage cheese, just as a for instance. ½ cup of cottage cheese has 80-110 calories (depending on whether you get 1% or 4%), 14g of protein and 1-4g of fat. So lots more protein, half the calories and almost no fat!! Combine the cottage cheese with a few tsp of sugar free jelly and spread it on whole wheat toast and you’ve got a delicious breakfast or snack with a whole lot more bang for your diet buck.
17. February 2009 at 12:04 pm
In reference to the peanut butter issue – I’m not a huge fan of peanut butter – never have been but, for some reason I find it very appealing to me since I’ve had the surgery. I do occassionally have a teaspoon with celery sticks and find it very satisfying. I am so glad you have pointed out the ratio of protien and fat in it. I think I can do without it.
16. March 2009 at 3:51 pm
I occasionally use peanut butter to help when my blood sugar level drops. Is there a better food to help when this happens? Sometimes it occurs so suddenly that I panic, so the peanut butter comes in handy.
16. March 2009 at 6:10 pm
Your blood sugar should not be getting low unless you are taking diabetic medication. If this is the case speak with your primary care doctor to get those medicines tapered.
19. March 2009 at 8:45 am
Dr. Hekier i just like to say thank you for all you do the support group meetings the news letter you have it all their to make sure that we understand and to be honest you don’t get that everywhere when ever i see you are Dr.Keilin i just fill that ya’ll care and that alone makes me want to do better and it’s not easy you have to practice good eatin habbits but just to know that we have two of the greatest doctors makes this ride a lot easier so ThANK YOU and keep doing what you doing even if seems like were not listen we hear you and apreciate you