Hey guys.
Dr. Axe here, founder of draxe.com.
In this video, I'm going to answer the question, "Is peanut butter bad for you?"
This is actually a common question that I get from a lot of people.
There are some misconceptions when it comes to peanut butter.
I'll go answer your question here early.
Is peanut butter bad for you?
Yes and no.
It depends on how much you consume and it depends on the variety of peanuts you're getting.
I'll share with you a secret on the best type of peanut butter you should be getting as
well as what the rest of your diet looks like.
Let's start off talking about peanut butter in terms of what the issues are within why
it can be bad for you.
For starters, most of us in America get way too many omega-6 fats in our diet and not
enough omega-3 fats.
Remember this.
Omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation where too many omega-6 fats cause inflammation.
Well, peanuts are high in omega-6 fats.
They're low on omega-3 fats, so they can cause an imbalance ratio there.
That really is one of the first issues you're going to find with peanuts is that they have
too many omega-6, there's not enough omega-3.
That's the first problem with most peanuts.
The second issue is that most peanuts are grown on the ground.
They get very moist, and a lot of them contain mycotoxins or mold.
So that mold is one of the big reasons why so many kids today have allergies or these
inflammatory immune reactions when they get around peanuts.
In fact, a lot of schools today have laws or restrictions against peanuts.
Because you're bringing them to school and its like bombs are going off.
Kids are having all of these immune reactions because of all of the food allergies and food
sensitivities today to things like peanuts.
So that's the other issue is there are food sensitivities involved because of the mold
that's associated with a lot of the peanuts today.
I would say those are really two of the bigger issues today you're going to find with peanuts.
By the way, peanuts aren't really a nut.
They're more of a legume.
They're like a cross-breed in between a nut and a legume or a bean there as well.
But let me say this, you can actually eat peanut butter and it can be healthy.
Let me share with you how.
First thing is this.
It's that when you're buying peanuts, make sure you're buying a certified organic brand.
Ideally, a type of a peanut called a Valencia peanut or Jungle peanuts.
These peanuts are typically not grown in the moisture of the ground.
They're typically in bushes off the ground or higher up.
That's going to eliminate that issue with the mold.
So that's one way you can eat peanuts.
So again, my favorite brand is called Jungle Peanuts, you can check out, or Valencia Peanuts.
Those are the two brands you want to look for.
Ideally, organic peanuts are going to be the best things you consume.
The second thing that can actually make peanuts healthy for you is if you're getting omega-3
fats with them and even adding in a little bit of flaxseed oil or when you're consuming
it as well or just doing a little bit of something like a fish oil supplement.
If you're getting plenty of omega-3 fats in your diet, then you really don't need to worry
about if you're eating a serving of peanuts.
It's completely fine.
Peanuts actually can be a food that supports metabolism and fat loss if you're consuming
them with the other rights foods and as part of a proper diet, because peanuts are very
high in protein and they are high as well in easily burned carbohydrates.
But again, they're one of the highest plant-based form of protein available today.
So can peanuts be healthy?
Yes, they can if you buy something like Jungle Peanuts and you're getting plenty of omega-3
fats in your diet and they're organic.
For all those reasons, yes, peanuts can be healthy.
But here's the problem today.
Ninety-nine percent of the peanut butter and peanuts people are buying in America today
have hydrogenated oils added, they're non-organic, and those people are getting too many omega-6
fats in their diet.
So you start adding in peanut butter in its vegetables oils.
It's highly processed.
Allergic reactions happening within the body.
So that's why you've maybe even seen articles I've written.
Or I was recently on the Dr. Oz Show talking about why peanut butter is not good for people.
Because again, 99.9% of peanut butter out there today is absolute junk.
It is not good for you and it can even cause weight gain and inflammation and inflammatory
reactions in the body.
But again, if you're a person who's going to have enough omega-3 fats in your diet and
you're going to buy a good quality brand of peanuts or peanut butter, then hey, having
a little bit of peanut butter in your diet can be A-okay and good for you, again, if
it's that balances omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
Hey, if you want to learn more about how to reduce inflammation and some of my top healing
foods that are full of omega-3, check that out on my website.
Simply go to draxe.com.
That's D-R-A-X-E.com.
I've got some other great articles on things like chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds.
You may want to read about there on there as well.
I think you'd really enjoy that article on chia seeds, by the way.
Actually, just a little home recipe.
A lot of times, I'll take my peanuts, I'll make my own peanut butter, but I use flax
oil as the oil if I'm making homemade peanut butter.
So again, Jungle Peanuts is the brand that I buy.
Along with, I'll put in some cold-pressed flax oil.
I make my own peanut butter at home that way.
It tastes great and it has a balanced omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
Hey guys, this has been Dr. Axe.
Thanks for watching.
Thanks for subscribing here as well, for all who do, to the Dr. Axe YouTube page here.