Peanut butter in sports nutrition

The peanut butter It is a dense food, with a high concentration of nutrients in a small amount of food, and that thanks to its concentration and fiber provides satiety, in addition to having a high biological value. Let's get to know some of its properties.

Properties of peanut butter

• Caloric and satiating: nuts in general have an excellent nutritional contribution, but on many occasions they are banished, especially in weight loss diets or in certain sports, because they believe that they are too fat, and although they are caloric, their satiating power is very high, so a moderate amount can be very useful especially for those who want to gain weight and volume.
• Good quality proteins: its high quality protein makes it a highly recommended food for both muscle mass gain and recovery after intense training. It is very useful for vegetarian athletes, because even in the case of a vegetable protein it is of good quality.
• Fatty acids: it is an excellent source of omega 3, especially linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid, which helps us improve blood cholesterol levels, reducing LDL cholesterol (commonly known as bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL ( commonly known as good cholesterol), improving the lipid profile helps prevent arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular problems.
• Fiber intake: adequate intake helps prevent problems in the digestive tract such as constipation, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, reduces cholesterol levels, etc.
• Good antioxidant: thanks to its contribution of vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, it is an excellent antioxidant. Antioxidants are very beneficial substances for the body as they counteract the damage caused by free radicals that can be generated due to cellular oxidation, especially when practicing very intense and long-lasting sports. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory power.
• Vitamins and minerals: stands out for its contribution of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E and vitamins of group B: Zinc: Necessary for numerous chemical reactions and essential in protein synthesis. It also participates in the regulation of the immune system. Potassium: participates in maintaining an adequate balance of electrolytes in the body and contributes to the growth and development of muscle tissues. Match: aids in the formation of bones and helps to synthesize proteins for the growth, maintenance and repair of cells and tissues. niacin: participates in energy metabolism, helping food provide energy. iamine: essential for the proper functioning of the heart muscle. It also participates in obtaining energy that comes from carbohydrates. Vitamin B6: participates in red blood cell metabolism and protein metabolism. In addition to participating in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Vitamin E: It is a par excellence, it also helps prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Are all peanut butter the same?

It deserves to pay close attention when choosing the peanut butter that we are going to consume, since they are not all the same. Once again, we must read the labeling to know if it is an optimal peanut butter or not. We must ensure that it is a pure peanut butter, without additives, because a peanut butter should be just that, crushed peanuts turned into cream, but on many occasions we can find that they add sugars, hydrogenated vegetable oils such as etc. This loses its benefits, since the added ingredients are of poor quality and significantly worsen the product.

Peanut Butter Utilities

It can be used both to increase volume, where we are interested in gaining weight, so peanut butter, being a very healthy food and high in protein can help us, but also in times of weight loss, since it is very satiating and It can be an ideal complement between meals to avoid starving. It can be added to smoothies, used to spread toast, used in recipes ... Here you can find some ideas:

• Toasts with peanut butter and apple slices: cut the toast of the bread you want, spread the peanut butter and place thin slices of apple on top.
• Banana ice cream, peanut butter and pure cocoa: choose two ripe bananas, cut them into slices and freeze for two hours in an airtight container or freezer bag. After this time, pass them through the mincer until you get a paste, add two or three tablespoons of peanut butter and a tablespoon of pure cocoa. Blend again until a homogeneous texture is obtained. It can be consumed immediately or left in the freezer for 30 more minutes.
• Yogurt cream, peanut butter, cinnamon and honey: we need two natural unsweetened yogurts, three tablespoons of peanut butter, cinnamon and a tablespoon of honey. Beat everything together in a blender and serve with fruit if desired.

Prepare your homemade peanut butter

You can also prepare peanut butter at home and it is sure to be of good quality. It can be kept in the refrigerator for two months using an airtight jar. Ingredients:

• 500 grams of peanuts peeled and toasted without salt or toast some natural ones in the oven at 200ºC for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
• Place the peanuts and salt to taste in a food processor / mixer.
• Chop / blend for one minute
• Push the cream down and repeat the operation until you get a texture to your liking.

• Peanut butter is a dense food, with a high concentration of nutrients in a small amount of food. Due to its concentration and fiber, it provides satiety, and has a high biological value.
• We have to choose a pure peanut butter, without additives: crushed peanuts turned into cream without anything else.
• It can be used both to increase volume, where we are interested in gaining weight, so peanut butter, being a very healthy food and high in protein, can help us, but also in times of weight loss, since it is very satiating and can be an ideal complement between meals to avoid starving.

Monica Carreira Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist in pharmacology, nutrition and sports supplementation