A new study shows that snacking on peanuts
and peanut butter is an effective way to control hunger without leading to weight
gain. Subjects who snacked on peanuts and peanut butter self-adjusted their caloric
intake spontaneously and did not add extra calories to their daily diets. These
findings are published in this month’s international Journal of Obesity (Vo\.24,
p.1167-75).
Following a snack of peanuts or peanut butter, the participants hunger was reduced
for two and a half hours. When they were fed typical portions of other snacks (such
as rice cakes), hunger returned within a half hour. Furthermore, there was a positive
change in the mix of fat in subjects’ daily diets when they consumed peanuts and
peanut butter- Mono- and polyunsaturated fats increased proportionately and
saturated fat decreased proportionately, providing an overall heart-healthier fat
profile. Rick Mattes, PhD, RD, Professor in the Department of Foods and Nutrition at
Purdue University, who conducted the study, says, “These findings are important
because they challenge the belief that eating high-fat foods like peanuts and peanut
butter necessarily will lead to weight gain.” These new findings also support
previous long- and short-term studies that indicate that regular consumption of
peanuts does not promote weight’gain and can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Small changes can equal big rewards. Substitute monounsaturated fats for
saturated fats by using peanut butter on your bagel instead of butter or cream
cheese, dipping vegetables and fruit in melted peanut better instead of cream-based
dressings, or sprinkling toasted peanuts on salads instead of croutons. When
researchers at Penn State University (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) tested
diets that included 2-3 servings daily of peanuts or peanut butter, rich in