Should you eat peanut butter for bodybuilding?

Peanut butter is one of the foods rich in protein and fat. good lipids. But his high calorie intake often holds back bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts, especially those looking to lose weight. Yet it's an excellent source of nutrients and antioxidants, with numerous benefits. But is peanut butter good for your health ? Is it compatible with a dry lens? That's what I'd like you to find out.

What is peanut butter?

Peanut butter is a very popular food in North America (USA and Canada). You'll also find it under the names of peanut butter, peanut puree or peanut butter. peanut butter.

Peanut butter takes the form of a spread.

To produce it, a simple manufacturing process is followed, starting with the shelling of the peanuts. The resulting seeds are then roasted, blanched and ground more or less finely to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Manufacturers generally offer 2 main types of peanut butter: 

• Creamy peanut butter
• Crunchy peanut butter, with added peanut pieces

Peanut butter is a nutrient-rich food. As far as nutritional values are concerned, count on approximately 600 calories for 100 grams of dough, and a protein content of around 25 grams. Add to this 50 grams of fat and 15 grams of carbohydrates.

Peanut butter: good for your health

Let's take a closer look at the composition of peanut butter, and how this food can be a carrier of numerous benefits for health.

Quality fats

As we've seen, peanut butter is rich in lipids. But not just any fat.

While the bodybuilders tend to limit their intake of this macronutrient, yet lipids are essential to the body's proper functioning.

In fact, peanut butter contains a majority of fatty acids that are very useful for the body, as they are essential for the maintenance of health. unsaturated fats (mainly mono- and polyunsaturated), as opposed to the saturated acids found in industrial products.

Unsaturated fatty acids are known to contribute to energy production and play a positive role in the body's immune system. heart health.

As with everything else, and given its high calorie content, it should of course be consumed with care. in moderation.

A good amount of protein

If you're looking for food protein sourcesPeanut butter is a good option to include in your diet. On the other hand plant proteinand not animal proteins.

Similarly, it lacks some essential amino acids in its constitution, but this can be made up for by a varied and balanced diet.

Peanut butter is therefore perfectly suited to vegetarians and vegans.

Full of vitamins and minerals

In addition to providing protein and healthy fats, peanut butter is an excellent source of vitamins. It contains vitamins B3, B4, B9 and E.

It also contains magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc and iron, all of which are essential for the body to function properly.

As a sportyAs a result, your needs are higher than those of a sedentary person. This food is therefore advantageous, as it helps to meet these needs. What's more, it also provides omega-3s, essential for muscle-building, and omega-6s.

Last but not least, peanut paste has antioxidant properties. It contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that helps fight the onset of age-related diseases.

The benefits of peanut butter for bodybuilders

In addition to its nutritional benefits, peanut butter offers other advantages for muscle builders.

High in calories

As you may have noticed, peanut butter is a very popular caloric. As such, it is ideal for athletes who want to build muscle.

In fact, to gain weight, you need to build up a caloric surplus. In other words, you need to eat more calories than your body consumes.

For some people, gaining weight can mean eating 3,000, 4,000 or 5,000 calories every day! In such situations, to avoid having to gobble up a colossal amount of food, it's essential to incorporate calorie-rich foods.

In other words, if you're gaining mass, eat peanut butter.

It provides energy

Peanut butter in bodybuilding is a formidable energy booster.

Many people think that carbohydrates alone can provide an enormous amount of energy. But few know that fats can also play this role.

In this sense, peanut butter helps regulate variations in blood sugar levels.

What's more, the calories from lipids are momentarily used by the body just after they are taken, so as not to create fatty deposits in the body's constituent tissues.

Aids digestion

In addition to all these benefits, peanut butter also provides fibers to keep the body's digestive system in perfect condition. 

In fact, fiber promotes good digestion, increasing the absorption and assimilation of nutrients and giving a feeling of satiety.

Is peanut butter compatible with all bodybuilding goals?

There's no doubt that peanut butter is an ideal food for gaining muscle. But what about for lose weight ?

At first sight, given its high caloric content, it would seem more difficult to include this food in a dry diet.

And yet, even if it's counter-intuitive, peanut butter can help you lose weight.

Of course, you'll need to limit the quantities you eat. But eating them regularly will increase your protein intake and help you feel fuller and healthier. full. So you'll be less hungry and more able to control your calorie intake.

What to eat peanut butter with?

Since it's a paste product, the obvious solution to eating peanut butter is to use it with another type of food. For example, for your snacksYou can spread it on a slice of wholemeal bread or a brown rice cake. Note that this is not a spread, so a thin layer will suffice!

While it's true that butter already contains protein, there's nothing to stop you combining it with another solid or powdered protein source, or mixing it with fromage blanc and a few chocolate chips.

You can also use it in a recipe for homemade protein bar which you can find here : Recipe for homemade protein bars.

If you are in the process of gaining weight, I also recommend that you opt for a smoothie with peanut butter, banana, milk and whey protein. For more mass-building snack ideas, I invite you to discover these 8 quick and easy recipes.

How to choose a good peanut butter?

By now, you're probably convinced of the benefits of peanut butter for bodybuilding. But are all products the same? And which peanut butter should you choose?

Personally, I recommend that you always choose a organic peanut butterwith no additives and no added sugar. Don't hesitate to look at the list of ingredients. The fewer the better!

Not all peanut butters are created equal. Some, for example, contain hydrogenated oils (also known as palm oil). Although this type of product is creamier, it contains processed fats with harmful properties for the body.

You'll find good peanut butter in the organic section of any supermarket. You can also order it online from certain food supplement manufacturers. Personally, I consume the one from Prozisan excellent quality product.

How do you make your own homemade peanut butter?

Another option is to make your own peanut butter at home.

To do this, select plain organic peanuts, unsalted and not over-roasted. Soak them overnight in a little water. 

The next day, place them in a blender and add a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Grind to a homogeneous paste. 

If the consistency of the product becomes too dry, there's nothing to stop you adding a little almond milk.

Once the grinding is complete, a few pieces of coarsely crushed peanuts (or sesame seeds) can be added to the mixture to make a delicious crunchy taste. 

This easy recipe for homemade peanut butter can easily be stored for several days in the refrigerator.

Some frequently asked questions about peanut butter in bodybuilding

Does peanut butter make you fat?

As you can see, peanut butter is rich in lipids. 

Consumed in moderation and integrated into a diet well calculated, this food will not make you fatter than another.

On the other hand, it's true that excessive consumption can quickly put you into a caloric surplus, leading mechanically to weight gain.

Can you eat peanut butter every day?

Yes, you can eat a good teaspoon or two of peanut butter every day.

This is equivalent to a portion of 10 to 20 gramswhich still represents between 60 and 120 calories.

At what time of day can you eat it?

Before a workoutA portion of peanut butter will give you the energy you need. Again, be careful how much you eat, otherwise you'll feel heavy during your workout.

This food is also useful after trainingfor muscle recovery. Combined with a carbohydrate source, you can recharge your glycogen reserves.

What are the alternatives to peanut butter?

A first alternative to the classic peanut butter is its version powdered. Less calorific, powdered peanut butter contains much less fat (up to 70 % less lipid for certain products). For weight loss, this is an interesting option.

This ingredient, which is all the rage in the United States, has been invented by the PB2 brand. Perfect for adding to a shaker or sprinkling on pancakes in the morning.

Overall, all oilseed purees are alternatives to peanut butter for bodybuilding:

• Almond butter
• Cashew nut butter
• Hazelnut butter
• Or sunflower seed butter

Conclusion

Peanut butter is good for your health, and provides bodybuilders (and athletes in general) with the nutrients they need. However, it's important to manage the dose consumed, so as not to be in danger of overeating. caloric excess.

In other words, be sure to adapt quantities to the diet you're following and, consequently, to count your calories. It's best to choose a butter that's as natural as possible, with no additives, no salt, no sugar, no palm oil and, above all, no preservatives.

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