There Must Be A Good Nut Butter Story…
Almond butter is hands down a favorite fitness food of mine. It goes with so many things. It’s a great snack choice and amazing to mix with your workouts.
As a kid I was a peanut butter maniac. I could have peanut butter and jam sandwiches all day and every day.
In fact, there’s a story in my family that all I would eat for two weeks was peanut butter and jam. That’s crazy.
Fortunately the day arrived when my mother said to me, “OK Brian Lazanik, I’ve got your peanut butter and jam sandwich for lunch…” And supposedly I replied, “Again?” That was the end.
I still enjoy it. Just not for every meal and snack in between.
The debate goes on today as to what is better, peanut butter or almond butter. Supposedly, almond butter is lower in saturated fats and higher in fiber and unsaturated fats.
Almond Butter Is Full Of Good Stuff As A Fitness Food Should be
You can do the comparative research for yourself. I’m focusing on almond butter because I like it.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one table spoon of almond butter contains:
- 98 calories
- 8.8 grams of fat
- 1.6 grams of fiber
- 3.01 grams of carbs
- 3.3 grams of protein
That’s a lot of good stuff and they add up to benefits you’ll reap as part of your workout routine.
Almond butter is loaded with calcium, phosphorus, niacin, folate and riboflavin. It also has large doses of vitamin E and omega-3 fats. Do you know what all that stuff is? Me neither. Even my spell check never heard of folate.
A floating jar of almond butter
OK. It’s not really floating because I’m moving the camera. But you knew that. That oil on top is naturally separating. You just mix it all together and you have the magic that is almond butter. I know what you’re wondering though…
What Can Almond Butter Do For Me?
Well, it’s all really good things that your body needs because you’re body is a machine. I bet you knew that too. Here’s a little more research because you secretly like research about fitness food. According to the health journal Nutrients…
Well, I’m not going to get too into the weeds on this because this stuff gets dense and I know you’re busy.
But, according to this journal, almonds will lower bad cholesterol and maintain good cholesterol while protecting against cardiovascular problems. Adding ten grams of almonds a day helped people with heart disease. Come on, that’s good stuff.
Here’s one last good one and then I promise to keep it light. According to the Journal of The American Heart Association, I know it already sounds heavy. Eating almonds instead of high carb snacks reduces abdominal fat and cholesterol levels. This means losing weight and and a leaner belly.
Who wouldn’t want that? All from something as delicious as almond butter. It’s almost like a dessert that turns out to be good for you. I wish.
Great Part of Workout
Almond butter is great if I’m looking for something to eat before a brisk walk, round of mountain climbers or knee tuck jumps…Did I mention it tastes good? It’s light and provides a source of continuous energy.
I’ll mix it with fresh fruit. Slices of apple are amazing. The apple is your carbohydrate boost and the almond butter, as we know, provides protein and healthy fats. Sliced apple with almond butter is amazing.
Sometimes I’ll eat a banana. Almond butter and banana is a great tasting combination. The banana is loaded with carbohydrates and potassium. A great kick-start to a workout.
So there you have it. Almond butter is a great fitness food and staple to start including as part of your routine if you’re not already doing it. I know some people are allergic because mother nature can be unfair. Fortunately, you’ll find a healthy substitute because it’s easy to fool mother nature. It’s not the end of the world it only feels like it. There’s lots of great snacks out there and I’ll get to them soon enough.
If you haven’t tried it yet because you’re not sure, give it a shot. If you find it too heavy on it’s own, try it with fresh fruit, in a smoothie with yogurt or in a sandwich with jam. You will like it. If you don’t, there’s always broccoli.