What is a marketing trap? REDUCED FAT PEANUT BUTTER! Day in and day out read and hear of people unknowingly duped by “Big Peanut Butter” that they are changing their health picture by eating this marketing ploy. Have these people actually checked the label and compared the Regular Peanut Butter and Reduced Fat Peanut Butter? The following clip from Runner’s World Magazine explains why this in nothing more than a strategy developed by the makers of peanut butter to sell a few more jars to those of us desperate to shed weight.
“Check the label, and you’ll find that both versions pack about 190 calories per 2-tablespoon serving. But, while the reduced-fat variety has less fat (12 grams versus 16 grams in regular), it has considerably more sugar.
Even if you’re looking to slash the fat in your diet for better heart health, you’ll still want to stay away from the reduced-fat varieties. Why? Reduced-fat peanut butters contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is a primary source of artery-clogging trans fats. In comparison, regular peanut butter is a natural source of cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats. So when you opt for a reduced-fat peanut butter, you actually end up eating more unhealthy fats.
And thanks to the healthy fats and the disease-fighting phytochemicals in regular peanut butter, it should be a part of every runner’s diet. Bonus: The fat in peanut butter helps you feel full, making a PB and apple snack a great way to stave off late-afternoon hunger.”
Peanut Butter is wonderful and such a good addition to your diet, but it is calorie expensive and should be eaten with moderation. One product that helps me with the temptation to eat too much is Peter Pan Whipped Peanut Butter. Of course, it’s banned from the shelves right now due to a recall but I’ll be buying it up again once it’s on the market. It’s simply regular peanut butter with air added to it so that you get more mileage out of each spread.
If you want to go further down the path to optimum health, try natural peanut butter. This is peanut butter without any added sugars. It’s simply oil, peanuts, salt and mashed up to give you a little bit of nutty heaven.
My hope with this information is that you really look at your labels and decipher the marketing ploys out there. Companies are looking for every avenue to sneak into your kitchen and set your healthy lifestyle back if they feel they can get their almighty dollar from you.