Powdered Peanut Butter… Too Good to be True?

Who hasn’t taken a spoonful of peanut butter right out of the jar? Or better yet, dipped an Oreo cookie into a jar of peanut butter? Sadly, anyone who has read the nutrition facts panel on peanut butter knows that it isn’t the most weight friendly food, if you aren’t careful with portion size. A mere tablespoon contains 90 calories, and, let’s be serious, how many people only eat 1 tablespoon in a sitting?

For peanut butter lovers who are trying to watch their waistline, powdered peanut butter seems like a miracle food. The peanuts have had the fat pressed out, reducing the peanut butter to a fine powder. Simply mix the powder with water, and you have “peanut butter” with 85% less fat. Seems almost too good to be true…

The table below compares the calories, fat, carbohydrate, and protein between powdered peanut butter by Just Great Stuff, smooth peanut butter and natural peanut butter.  As suspected, the powdered peanut butter contains significantly less calories and fat, including saturated fat. It also contains slightly less carbohydrates and sugar.

While powdered peanut butter contains less fat, the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have also been removed. These fats have many important health benefits. For instance, monounsaturated fats have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. According to my personal genetic DNA results, I contain the response variant for the PPARy2 gene, so I am more likely to experience weight loss and a lower body fat percentage when my diet is high in monounsaturated fats. While the powdered peanut butter may contain fewer calories, it also means that I’m missing out on healthy fat that I try to include in my diet.

The table also doesn’t highlight the differences between vitamins and minerals found in powdered peanut butter compared to the real stuff. Unfortunately, the micronutrient information on powdered peanut butter couldn’t be found. However, I would assume there would be a loss of important micronutrients in the pressing process, specifically the fat-soluble vitamins. Additionally, powdered peanut butter has added sugar and salt, unlike the natural peanut butter.

There is no point in eating powdered peanut butter if you don’t enjoy the taste. In my experience, the paste-like substance that’s made when you mix the powder and water does not compare to the real stuff on a warm piece of bread. My advice, if you like a peanut butter sandwich for lunch or if you start your morning with peanut butter and toast, stick to the real stuff. As mentioned above, it contains many heart healthy fats that also help you feel full and satisfied.

On the other hand, if you can’t control your portions around peanut butter and are watching your weight, then powdered peanut butter can be used as a great way to add flavour. While I still wouldn’t recommend using it for a peanut butter sandwich, it’s great to add to smoothies or oatmeal because you get a great peanut butter taste without a significant amount of added calories.

I’ve been eating oatmeal with powdered peanut butter after runs as my recovery food. Try out my latest recipe: peanut-butter chocolate oats. The powdered peanut butter gives it a great taste and also contributes to the impressive 26 grams of protein. I also add 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseed for my daily ALA (a type of omega-3) requirements to help reduce inflammation.