With its distinctive flavor, peanut butter makes a great addition to smoothies, oatmeal, and homemade desserts.
Bothproteinanddietary fatincrease satiety, making it easier to control your food intake.
On top of that, it may alleviate depression and enhance our ability to cope with stress.
Research also indicates an inverse association between peanut butter intake and diabetes, reports alarge-scale studypublished in JAMA.
Given these aspects, it makes sense toeat peanut butter every day.
The problem is that many otherwise healthy foods may not be safe during pregnancy.
Other studies, however, came to a different conclusion or had conflicting results.
Is it safe to eat peanut butter during pregnancy?
Peanut butter contains several key nutrients that support pregnancy health.
This vitamin protects against neural tube defects and helps your body produce red blood cells.
But despite these potential benefits, many experts say that peanut butter may not be safe for moms-to-be.
Until recently, it was believed that maternal peanut consumption may increase the risk of nut allergies in children.
Avoiding peanuts and other food allergens during pregnancy could actually result in preterm birth and other issues.
“Mothers don’t need to avoid any of these allergic foods.
If anything, they might be beneficial,” neonatologist Frank R. Greer toldWebMD.
Therefore, there’s no reason to limit peanut butter during pregnancy unless you’reallergic to it.
This mineral also relaxes the muscles and can help relieveleg cramps, a common complaint during pregnancy.
Note, though peanut butter is high in calories and should be consumed in moderation.
Ideally, look for sugar-free varieties with as few ingredients as possible, recommendsFood and Nutrition Magazine.
Also, check the label for palm oil, high-fructose corn syrup, jelly, and fillers.
