| Peanut Butter Packs a Punch! (Part Two) | |
In a Purdue University study conducted in 2000, subjects who snacked on peanuts and peanut butter were shown to self-adjust their caloric intake spontaneously and did not add extra calories to their daily diets. The study's findings were published in the September 2000 International Journal of Obesity (Vol. 24, p.1167-75). After participants consumed their snack of peanuts or peanut butter, their hunger was reduced for two and a half hours. In other words, the peanut butter eaters weren't overcome with the urge to mindlessly graze at the office vending machine within a couple hours of lunch!
Rick Mattes, PhD, RD, a professor in the Department of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue University, who conducted the study, said, "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.
By comparison, when the participants were fed typical portions of other snacks (such as rice cakes), hunger returned within a half hour. Peanuts and peanut butter produced more eating satisfaction and feelings of fullness than high-carbohydrate snacks like rice cakes. *** Same goes for high-carb meals. For example, when you eat pasta marinara for lunch, how long is it before you're hungry again? Is your stomach growling before your lunch hour is even up? According to this study's findings, if you had downed a PB&J sandwich instead, your tummy just might have been a happy camper right up until quitting time!
Last, but not least, there was a positive change in the mix of fat in the study 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. (Monounsaturated fats raise the "good" cholesterol levels without raising total blood cholesterol. Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol levels.)
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*** Peanuts and Peanut Butter Hit Target...
