Sunday, November 24, 2013

The Importance of Reading Peanut Butter Labels

Let's face it.  We know we need to cut sugars to stay healthy.  Some of these sugars are obvious--oreos, candy, cake--but some are not so obvious.  Take peanut butter, for example.  We have been told that peanut butter is a great source of protein and should be added into our diet provided there are no nut allergies.  But how many of you have considered that peanut butter may contain a lot of added sugars?

Why would a company add sugar to peanut butter?  The simple answer is it appeals to the American palate.  We love sweet stuff, and companies know we will buy products that taste good.  The problem is these added sugars are changing healthy foods into unhealthy waistline expansions.

How do we know if there are added sugars in an otherwise healthy food choice like peanut butter?  It's simple.  Flip the jar around and read the label.  If there are more than one or two ingredients, and if one of those ingredients ends in "-ose", but it down.  A food such as peanut butter should contain nothing more than peanuts or peanuts and salt.

Let's examine some labels...  Simply Jif, a very popular brand chosen by "choosy moms", contains 7g of carbohydrates, 2g of sugar, and 7g of protein.  OK.  That part doesn't sound so bad, does it?  Now, let's read the list of ingredients:  "Made from ROASTED PEANUTS, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (RAPESEED AND SOYBEAN), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, MOLASSES, SUGAR, SALT" (JM Smucker, n.d.).  I am counting 7 ingredients.  Way more than the 5 or less ingredients for healthy eating.  I am also counting at least two sources of added sugar.

Now, let's examine another peanut butter brand.  Crazy Richard's Creamy Peanut Butter contains 7g carbohydrates, 2g sugar, and 9g protein.  That part sounds great; more protein but the same amount of carbohydrates and sugars.  Now, let's read the list of ingredients:  "PEANUTS" (Sisters Sweet Shop, 2010).  One ingredient.  Perfect.

Crazy Richard's is available in glass jars (more on glass vs. plastic in another posting) in almost every grocery store that also sells Jif.  The biggest difference between the two brands, besides the amount of ingredients, is Crazy Richard's must be stirred before use and refrigerated after opening.

We'll address this separation for a moment.  The oils will separate and float to the top of a natural product.  If there is no separation, then it is more highly processed and has additives to prevent the oils from separating.  Do not be afraid of these oils!  They are good for you!  However, I hear complaints about trying to mix the peanut butter, so here are a couple of tips:

1.  Do not refrigerate before stirring.  If you do, it will be nearly impossible to fully mix the product.  I have bent a few spoons before I caught on that stirring happens before refrigerating.

2.  Place the new jar upside down for a bit before opening to stir.  I am on a strict budget, so we will purchase peanut butter on sale.  The extra jars are stored upside down to give the oils a chance to travel through the peanut butter.  This makes stirring easier in the end.

3.  Make sure your stirring implement is longer than the jar is tall.  There is nothing worse than losing your spoon in the peanut butter jar.

The long-and-short of it all is peanut butter is a healthy source of protein and can be a wonderful addition to your diet.  However, if weight loss is your goal, or if you are just looking to be more healthy, then be sure to read the labels and stick to the 5 ingredients or less rule.

And, do not be afraid to stir your peanut butter.



JM Smucker (n.d.)  Simply Jif Peanut Butter.  Accessed on November 24, 2013.  Retrieved from http://www.jif.com/Products/Details?categoryId=66.

Sisters Sweet Shop (2010)  Krema Nutrition Labels.  Access on November 24, 2013.  Retrieved from http://www.kremaproducts.com/nutrition-facts.asp