What Peanut Butter Can Do for Your Health and Beauty

We bet when you think of peanut butter, you either think of when you were a kid and you downed a crazy amount of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or you think of peanut butter cookies.  Peanut butter is one of those things you probably don’t give much thought to, and yet, peanut butter is one of those things you should give a second thought to.  Here’s why.

Beauty:  Did you ever think of using peanut butter in your beauty routine?  We’re thinking you haven’t.  But there are plenty of women out there who extol the many uses of peanut butter.  For example, peanut butter used as a facial mask is supposed to work great for women who have dry skin (and it probably smells pretty good too).  The good news here is you’ll know you’re not putting any potentially harmful ingredients on your face (unless, of course, you’re allergic to peanuts; in that case, you should probably avoid all the tips in this article).

But you can use peanut butter for more than just your face.  It’s great for moisturizing hair too.  There are dozens of recipes online that utilize peanut butter as a deep conditioner for hair, and they all use various different ingredients (but peanut butter is the main one) or peanut butter by itself.  But did you know a lot of people swear by peanut butter when you have to remove chewing gum from your hair?  It’s better than the alternative (some people use toxic and flammable lighter fluid to do the same thing!).

Health:  You probably never considered peanut butter a health food, but it really is.  It’s got a solid yet healthful combination of protein and fat (like all nuts), and it’s full of fiber, so eating it will make you feel fuller faster than a lot of other foods, and that’s how it can help you manage your weight.  Eating peanut butter can lower your risk of heart disease as well.  It’s also chock full of nutrients!

When it comes to health, you should be picky about the peanut butter you buy.  A lot of the most well-known brands use trans fats to keep their peanut butter smooth, but if you buy the natural kind, you’ll get the best health benefits peanuts have to offer.  Remember, less refining means more of the good stuff is kept in.  You have to stir natural peanut butter to mix it (the oil will separate to the top of the jar), but it’s worth the effort.  A 26-ounce jar of Adams Natural Peanut Butter costs a little more than more well-known brands (about $6), but it’s still not so much when you consider your health is worth it.

So rethink your relationship with peanut butter.  It can help you look beautiful inside and out!