Health Benefits of Peanut Butter

Whether you prefer it smooth or chunky, peanut butter is a tasty snack that is great on sandwiches or mixed in with other ingredients. It's made out of peanuts, which are actually more closely related to legumes than true nuts. Peanut better is incredibly healthy. What follows are some of the reasons you should try and make it a part of your regular diet.

Heart

Peanut butter is great as part of a heart-healthy diet because of its monounsaturated fat content. This is the same kind of fat found in Mediterranean diets and can lower the risk of heart disease by as much as 21 percent.

Antioxidants

Peanut butter is able to rival some fruits in the levels of antioxidants found in it. These antioxidants help to prevent oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which can affect cells and DNA strands and also cause cancer.

Stroke

Peanut butter has a flavonoid in it called reservatol, which is found in grapes and red wine as well. It is known to increase blood flow to the brain, which can help reduce the risk of a stroke.

Gallbladder

Eating only two teaspoons of peanut butter a week is known to help reduce to the risk of developing gallstones by 25 percent. It also helps promote the overall health of the gallbladder.

Colon Cancer

Peanut better is very important in fighting colon cancer. In women, peanut butter can lower the risk of this cancer by 58 percent; in men, 27 percent.