5 reasons why peanut butter is the perfect snack

Think peanut butter is just for kids? Well, think again. These are just a few ways peanut butter can help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

• Like most nuts, peanut butter is a potent protector of the heart. Its good, unsaturated fat helps to tame high cholesterol. After all, it's the same type of fat found in olive oil.
• Peanut butter-heavy diets can see almost the same reduction in heart disease as olive oil-heavy diets, according to one study.
• Eating peanut butter (or nuts) several times a week is a proven way to keep high blood pressure under control.
• Peanut butter is also a rich source of the heart-healthy antioxidant compound resveratrol, the one for which red wine is most famous.

• Like the peanuts it comes from, peanut butter is rich in plant compounds called sterols, one of the top proven cholesterol busters.
• Sterols are added to some cholesterol-lowering margarines.
• The stash of sterols in peanut butter not only helps control cholesterol, it may also help fend off colon, prostate and breast cancers.

• Many peanut butters are sweetened with corn syrup or sugar — two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) per 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) of peanut butter.
• Natural and organic brands generally have no added sugar, and less sodium than regular brands.
• Natural brands of the spread contain even more resveratrol, the heart-friendly antioxidant, than other types of peanut butter.

• A study at Purdue University found that eating peanut butter can dampen appetite for up to two hours longer than a low-fibre, high-carb snack.
• Peanut butter has a gram of fibre per 15 millilitres (one tablespoon).

Peanut butter goes well with anything, so it's easy to add to your diet. Here's some suggestions:

• Spread peanut butter on whole-grain waffles or pancakes for breakfast.
• Make a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread for a pack-and-go lunch. Or, smear half a banana with some peanut butter as a snack.
• For a nibble that won't make your blood sugar go haywire, spread peanut butter on whole-grain crackers or triangles of toasted whole wheat pita bread.
• For an even lower glycemic-load snack that will stave off hunger longer, spread peanut butter on apple slices, celery sticks or carrots.
• Be adventurous and try different types of nut butters with different types of fruit and vegetables. Almond butter on sliced pears is a delicious combination.
• Spread peanut butter on your whole-grain toast or bagel instead of jam. You'll get more calories, but also more hunger-satisfying protein and less sugar.

Peanut butter packs a one-two punch against blood sugar spikes: protein and "good" (unsaturated) fat. And it's convenient and versatile, so you can easily add it to your diet in new and unique ways.