Is peanut butter OK to have?

(Jeanne Wagner) #1

A little background… July 2017 I gave up the grains (gluten, wheat, all related products) and I had incorporated peanut butter more (I’ve always loved it but probably like everyone else I was afraid of having to much because of the fat content) into my diet. I got down to 1 gm sugar per serving, so I thought I was doing good.

Then after I got involved with keto a little bit (Nov 2017) I remember reading that perhaps having peanut butter was not so good. Because of the particular kind of nuts? I also tried almond butter. I still had a sweet tooth back then, and almond butter wasn’t sweet enough for me to want to eat it on a regular basis.

After a 3-day fast a couple weekends ago, I was able to leave my sweetener behind in coffee. THAT was a minor miracle, I tell you. I can’t say I love unsweetened coffee, but I can certainly handle it now, whereas before I just would go without if I couldn’t sweeten it. Amazing progress for me.

I haven’t heard much about peanut butter or almond butter being in anyone’s daily or even weekly diet. Should I throw that last jar out (been sitting there for 3-4 months untouched), or start having some again? I mean, besides the whole carb issue.

(Allie) #2

For some yes, for others no.
Try it and see if it works for you.

(Jeanne Wagner) #3

I’m wouldn’t be surprised I’m one of the ones it doesn’t work for. I’m trying to be really strict at this point until I feel more acclimated and more fluent with the macros. Still pretty new…and I’m not measuring anything with a scale because I got fed up with that a long time ago, but I think I will need to put that aversion aside and get to gettin’.

(Allie) #4

I was having PB every day for a while and thought I was OK with it until I stopped having it and noticed how much better I felt… :confused: Now it’s a once in a while treat to share with my darling dog (separate spoons of course!) :joy:

(Pete A) #5

Yes, try it and see if it works!

I assume you’re talking about a brand made of nothing but peanuts. Most have added sugar etc. It doesn’t for me as it’s not worth it to try and have a small portion with the carbs, same challenge as regularly eating nuts.

(Jeanne Wagner) #6

Well I should just pass the jar on to the non-Keto folks in the family… this brand is low sugar Jiff or Peter Pan or something like that. FULL of all kinds of chemicals and not as low sugar as it should be. I guess the real question should have been, is OK to have some almond butter again? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

(Allie) #7

I quite like making my own chocolates with a mix of almond butter, melted 95% Lindt, erythritol, and vanilla…

(Jeanne Wagner) #8

Sounds tasty!

(Allie) #9

I can be messy to make but very nice

(Pete A) #10

Well it’s okay to have anything as long as the ingredients are agreeable, I.e. ingredients: almonds.

(She had one feck to give and that feck is gone.) #11

Do you have chocolate molds? It’s very pleasing to pop your keto chocolates out in those lovely chocolate shop shapes :blush:. Mine is silicone - super easy. I even use them with just coconut oil!

(Allie) #12

Yes I use the silicone ones too :slight_smile:

#13

Almond butter is a little better, less carbs and sugar per tablespoon, but a small amount of peanut butter on something won’t hurt anything.

(Brian) #14

Some depends on just how much peanut butter you’re consuming. If you’re thinking of a Tbsp here and there, it’s probably a non-issue. If you’re thinking in terms of a food group, it’s probably not a good choice.

I kinda look at it the same way I do carrots. Having a few on occasion I do not consider to be a problem. If I ate them in large quantity and often, it would be more of a problem.

Of course, different people are different. Some have allergies. Some have addictions. Some have higher or lower levels of tolerance. Some have higher or lower levels of willpower.

Good luck!

(Jeanne Wagner) #15

Thanks @Bellyman. Really thinking of it as a tiny snack (1 or 2 tbsp) to stave off hunger, or maybe to enjoy a Keto-type peanut butter and butter English muffin. God I really miss those!!! But not a traditional english muffin, only a keto friendly bread.

#16

I don’t know what you mean by “ok” to have, but peanut butter has a very low insulinogenic load. It doesn’t raise blood glucose much. The carb content in 2 TB is about equal to 2 cups of broccoli. PB is very calorie dense, so depending on your goals, that can advantageous or not. Some people (myself included) find it very easy to over consume. Peanuts are the most common food allergy, and many more have a subclinical reaction, so it’s not ok for those folks.

It’s very easy to make nut butters at home with a cheap blender. Using a $30 Ninja, it takes about 5 minutes. I’ve taken to making custom blends like pecan-macadamia, almond-walnut, and cashew-chocolate.

(Jeanne Wagner) #17

Thanks @4dml… I guess I mean ‘not prone to take me out of a ketonic state’ and is it an insulinogenic food.

(Candy Lind) #18

OOH, what an awesome idea! :heart_eyes:

(Tracey) #19

Fob the nasty PB off to the family and make your own.Nothing but peanuts…As long as you can manage it as a sometimes treat you’re good to go…Some of the recipes here look yum…I am going to do almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa powder and a little coconut oil…Nutella!

(TJ Borden) #20

Are you talking about the “actual” unit of measure? Because a tablespoon of peanut butter for me is however big of a wad I can get at a time USING one tablespoon… which is why I tend to avoid it now.