4 health benefits from eating peanut butter

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the last thing you probably want to do is put yet another thing on your calendar. But there’s one date definitely worth celebrating this January (if you don’t have a nut allergy, at least). 

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day! It’s the perfect time to celebrate this pantry staple, whether you make a PB&J or dip into a bag of JOJO’s Peanut Butter Delight Bites. 

It’s a holiday you can celebrate guilt-free because PB offers a ton of health benefits for you, too. Let’s check them out.

It's a Great Protein Source

A single tablespoon of peanut butter has 3.5 grams of protein. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, this tasty spread can be a great way to get plant-based protein into your diet. Mix it into your oatmeal or spread it on some toast to start your day with the protein your body needs to fuel you. 

Even if you eat meat, PB is a shelf-stable protein you can always have on hand. You can enjoy it without any kitchen prep, too. Heck, you can even eat a couple of spoonfuls if you’re feeling famished and sluggish. No fuss, no muss — just the protein your body needs.

And a Good Source of Energy

On top of that protein, peanut butter also gives you carbohydrates and fats, macronutrients your body uses for energy. 

Fats might give you pause, but the majority of fats in peanut butter are the unsaturated (read: healthy) fats your body needs. A recent Harvard Heart Letter points out that two tablespoons of PB has over 12 grams of unsaturated fats, and just over a few grams of saturated fats. That’s similar to the ratio you’ll find in olive oil, which is often touted as one of the healthiest fats on earth. 

Unsaturated fats help to reduce your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol, plus they help you feel full longer and give long-lasting energy.

It's Rich in Nutrients

Beyond the protein, carbs, and healthy fats your body needs, peanut butter also offers you:

• Copper
• Fiber
• Folate
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Phosphorous
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
• Vitamin B6
• Zinc

Long story short: eating some peanut butter is a little like taking a multivitamin. 

Oh, and it has antioxidants, too.

It's Good For Your Heart

As we mentioned before, the unsaturated fats in peanut butter can help boost your heart health. The vitamins B3 and E and magnesium are all heart-healthy, too. 

You might have heard that nuts, in general, are a solid way to improve your heart health. That’s definitely true, but nuts can be expensive. Peanut butter is a low-cost way to get nutrients that benefit your ticker.

Eaten in moderation, peanut butter has a ton to offer your body. 

And if you truly want to enjoy peanut butter guilt-free, turn to our Peanut Butter Delight JOJO’s Chocolate options. We make all of our peanut butter without palm oil, which has been a huge driver of deforestation across the world. 

Happy National Peanut Butter Day, friends!