Ugly Side Effects of Eating Too Much Peanut Butter, According to Science
Commercial peanut butter contains a ton of additives, and when eaten together, can increase your chances of coming down with hypertension. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Warning Signs You’re Eating Too Much Peanut Butter
When you need to whip up a quick sandwich or just have a fun and delicious way to sneak some extra protein into your diet, nothing hits the spot like some peanut butter. Everyone has come to love this spread, and we have found it goes great in dips, on top of desserts, and even makes its way into a ton of recipes thanks to its ease to cook with.
While this amazing spread livens up anything it touches, some downsides exist, especially if you eat too much. While a little peanut butter goes a long way and can supercharge your diet, consuming too much can pack your body full of unnecessary sugar, sodium, fat, and more, leading to some very unseemly health consequences.
To determine what actually happens if you dig too hard into that jar of peanut butter, we asked a handful of professional dietitians, nutrition experts, doctors, and more what side effects we should expect to see if we eat too much peanut butter.
Read on to learn which side effects can do a real number on our health, and for more helpful eating tips, check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
Hypertension
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Commercial peanut butter contains a ton of additives, and when eaten together, can increase your chances of coming down with hypertension. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
“Many mainstream brands of peanut butters are loaded with added sugars, salt, and hydrogenated oils,” Shena Jaramillo MS, RD said. “This can potentially lead to hypertension if consumed in excess. Those with conditions such as diabetes should also be cautious of the sugar content in some of these mainstream brands of peanut butter.”
“Many no-stir peanut butter brands even if labeled organic can contain a product called palm oil,” Jaramillo continued. “This product acts like a saturated fat in the body and over time can lead to added weight gain and potentially hypertension. When choosing a peanut butter make sure it only has one single ingredient-peanuts. Natural peanut butter should separate. Consume in moderation.”
Weight Gain
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“Peanut butter, as well as other nut butters, are healthy in moderation and contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats along with some fiber, protein, and vitamins,” Dr. Lisa Young, PhD, RDN and author of Finally Full, Finally Slim said. “However, there is too much of a good thing. Because it is mostly fat, it does contain a considerable amount of calories for a fairly small portion (around 100 calories per tablespoon.) Eating too much (which is easy to do) can lead to weight gain. Therefore, rather than scoop and eat it right from the jar, take 1 tablespoon and enjoy on bread or an apple.”
When you want to indulge right, it’s always easy to find a fun way to sneak some extra peanut butter into your day. Take your recipes to the next level by cooking at home and avoid all the added sugars with 30 Things You Can Make with Peanut Butter.
Acid Reflux
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Even if you can avoid weight gain when you overdo it on the peanut butter, you might not avoid damaging the lining of your esophogus thanks to peanut butter causing acid reflux.
“Eating too much peanut butter can lead to the onset or irritation of generalized acid reflux disorder, otherwise known as GERD,” Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD said. “Peanut butter is okay for those with GERD, but in moderation, as it is a relatively high-fat food.”
“Peanut butter is also a significantly calorically dense food, meaning it provides the consumer with a lot of calories per serving,” Best continued. “A standard serving size for peanut butter is 2 tablespoons equaling 190 calories for that small amount. It is best to eat this food in moderation and consider it a treat rather than a part of your regular diet.”
Heart Disease
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With so much oil packed into every serving, it makes sense that anyone could easily eat too much fat packed into peanut butter and risk a ton of heart-related diseases.
“Peanuts are legumes, [and] legumes are often known to cause bloating. Most peanut butter is made with palm oil which is high in saturated fats and also contains sugar,” Heather Fowler CIHC, IWHC said. “Foods high in saturated fats, when eaten in large quantities over time could have negative [effects] on health such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.”
Neurological Disorders
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You may have never guessed, but too much peanut butter can put a ton of extra strain on your cognitive functions. But only depending on the type of peanut butter that is consumed.
“[Some] peanuts [could] contain a mycotoxin , especially during storage, called aflatoxin,” Dr. Becky Campbell said. “Mycotoxins can be harmful to all systems of the body, especially our neurological system. High amounts of this neurotoxin can cause negative physiological effects to occur like chronic fatigue, ADHD, depression and in extreme cases Parkinson’s and dementia .”
According to the National Cancer Association, aflatoxin is a certain fungus found on agricultural crops such as corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts, which studies have proven to be true. If a plant product is contaminated with this fungus, it could cause health issues. However, the USDA tests food that may contain aflatoxins (like peanut butter) and because of their testing, no outbreak or illness has occurred.
Needless to say, unless you are eating peanut butter made from contaminated peanuts, this shouldn’t be an issue to worry about. But it is something to keep in mind if you ever decide to consume homemade peanut butter without evaluating the peanuts—and eating too much of that peanut butter in one sitting.
Indigestion
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While it doesn’t sound threatening off the cuff, indigestion caused by too much peanut butter can do real damage to your body.
“Eating too much peanut butter in a short time frame can cause people to become more constipated or have stomach aches due to the high amount of fat in a short time frame,” Alicia Galvin, RD said. “Fat takes longer to digest and absorb, and peanut butter is mostly fat, so having too much can tax the digestive system.”
When you need to stick to a tight diet or just want to avoid unnecessary health complications, stray away from the dangerous side effects too much peanut butter can lead to. As long as you eat the spread in moderation, have no worries—just stay vigilant for any of these repercussions.
To learn which peanut butter to enjoy in moderation, check out The 20 Top Peanut Butters—Ranked!.
Ugly Side Effects of Eating Too Much Peanut Butter, According to Science
Peanut butter is one of those pantry staples in nearly every American household. It’s buttery, nutty taste makes it addicting for sandwiches, smoothies, and plenty of snacks. It helps that, generally speaking, it’s a healthy addition to our diets. However, too much of it can put extra stress on our bodies and digestive system, resulting in some pretty ugly side effects. Here, we spoke with nutrition experts to understand the recommended serving size of peanut butter, as well as dangerous risks if you are eating too much peanut butter at once.
How much peanut butter is too much?
While Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, CNS, and founder of Ancient Nutrition, isn’t the biggest fan of peanut butter and believes other nut kinds of butter, like almond, are smarter choices. (Don’t know the difference? Here’s a comparison between Peanut Butter vs Almond Butter.) He says 1 to 2 tablespoons a day is just fine. In most cases, this is one serving, and more than enough to smother both sides of a P.B. and jelly sandwich. If possible, he also suggests checking out the peanut butter brand’s back label to ensure it’s made from Valencia or Jungle peanuts, which are typically organically grown.
“If you eat the right types, peanut butter can potentially be used to make a nutritious snack or breakfast—such as a smoothie or ‘ants on a log’—since peanuts provide protein, healthy fats, some carbs, and even some antioxidants,” he continues.
What happens if you overdo it? Here are the ugly side effects of eating too much peanut butter, and for more healthy tips, be sure to check out our 22 Meals to Melt Belly Fat in 2022.
You may experience an allergic reaction.
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Peanuts are not only a common allergy, but they also tend to be grown, processed, and stored in a way that makes them susceptible to mold and—wait for it—going rancid, Dr. Axe warns. This is mainly due to the fact that peanuts are grown on the ground, which causes them to become very moist, and a lot of them wind up containing mycotoxins, which are various types of mold.
“This is one contributing reason as to why so many kids today have food allergies or inflammatory immune reactions after eating peanuts,” says Dr. Axe.
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You may have inflammation.
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You likely have heard of omega-3 and omega-6 since they are vital antioxidants we need. However, sometimes we can have too many of these essentials, leading to problematic issues. As celebrity chef and certified nutritionist Serena Poon explains, two tablespoons of peanut butter contain 4,709 milligrams of omega-6 fatty acids and 26.6 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids. The goal, Poon says, is to keep the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 1:1, so having peanut butter disrupts this balance.
“A diet that is much higher in omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids can lead to inflammation, oxidative stress, and clogged arteries,” she continues. “Eating one spoonful of peanut butter isn’t going to send you into cardiovascular disarray, but consistent overeating of peanut butter could lead to negative health effects.” 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
A way to counteract is to pair your peanut butter with a food that’s rich in omega-3, like a spoonful of chia seeds. Or incorporate one of these 26 Best Omega-3 Foods to Fight Inflammation and Support Heart Health into your diet.
You may gain weight.
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Though delicious, nut butter is high in calories based on volume, so it can be easy to eat a lot of them and to wind up consuming lots of calories without realizing it, Dr. Axe shares. If it’s a regular habit, this can pack on the pounds. Plus, like Poon, Dr. Axe says consuming lots of omega-6s, which can promote inflammation, may also hinder metabolic health, making it harder to lose weight.
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You may have raised cholesterol levels.
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Historically, some of the conventional peanut butter brands would use partially hydrogenated oil, which is a source of trans fat that can raise your “bad” cholesterol levels. In 2018, this ingredient was banned by the Food and Drug Administration due to its impact on our health, so many were forced to stop using it. Some brands have switched to adding fully hydrogenated oils to their peanut butter, which do not contain trans fats but are still less healthful than the peanuts’ natural oils, Poon explains. She recommends sticking as close to nature as possible with all foods, and hydrogenated oils are highly processed and alter the structure of an otherwise healthy component of the peanut plant.
“Seek out peanut butter brands that contain just peanuts and salt to avoid hydrogenated oil consumption,” says Poon.
You may have more sugar than you realize.
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Part of the reason peanut butter is so addicting to many is all of the added sugars in the jars. This creates a sweeter taste and one that’s harmful to our diets. As an example, Poon says if a brand packs on three grams of sugar per two tablespoons of peanut butter, four spoonfuls would be half of the daily recommendation for sugar intake.
“Consistently overeating added sugar can lead to weight gain, inflammation, chronic disease, heart problems, and more,” she says.
So you’ll definitely want to steer clear of these Unhealthiest Peanut Butters on the Planet.
