Why Do Bodybuilders Eat Peanut Butter? 11 Benefits (Unlock Your Potential)

Ask any bodybuilder about their daily meal plans. There is about a ninety percent chance that they’ll mention peanut butter as one of their favorite ingredients.

What is so special about this simple spread that makes it such a popular choice within the bodybuilding community?

After all, it just seems like a common household snack! But peanut butter can actually give you a lot of benefits, including muscle growth, if you eat it in moderation.

So, let’s find out the different reasons why bodybuilders like to include peanut butter in their meal plans.

Why Do Bodybuilders Eat Peanut Butter?

Peanut butter can do a world of good if you’re looking to build muscle. Here’s how eating it regularly can help:

Good for Bulking

Generally, most peanut butter brands offer around 180 to 200 calories per serving. However, it’s important to read the nutritional facts about the brand that you have chosen, just to be sure.

Naturally, this is a dream come true for people looking to gain weight.

Gym-goers who need to be in a state of calorie surplus can easily include peanut butter in their daily diets. They can mix it up with their smoothies, protein shakes, spread it on toast, or even eat it out of a spoon.

Either way, you get a huge amount of calories for consuming a small serving. So, peanut butter can really help bodybuilders get their daily calorie requirements if they are looking to bulk out.

Good Macronutrient and Micronutrient Profile

Peanut butter is not the most exciting source of protein. In fact, it’s primarily composed of fats. The natural kinds of peanut butter are especially heavy on calories. They usually have around 16 grams of fat in a single serving.

The sweetened peanut butter alternatives, on the other hand, are surprisingly lighter in calories.

Most of the fats present in peanut butter are healthy fats. So, you don’t have to worry about the fat composition.

Peanut butter is not entirely inept in terms of protein, either. If you buy from a good brand, two tablespoons of peanut butter will give you around 8 grams of protein – a reasonable intake for such a small serving!

The micronutrient profile of peanut butter is just as decent. It provides our body with some essential elements like Vitamin E, niacin, manganese, Vitamin B6, and magnesium.

All of these micronutrients are essential for the human body to function well and remain fit in all aspects, physical and mental.

Thus, a balanced micronutrient and macronutrient distribution is one of the key advantages for bodybuilders looking to take care of their overall well-being. But peanut butter alone cannot be a rich source of any element. It’s better to pair it up with other healthier food options.

Keeps Us Full

Peanut butter is good for increasing your calorie intake because it’s a calorie-dense food. But you’ll be surprised to know that many athletes actually eat peanut butter when they are dieting.

What’s the reason?

It’s pretty simple – as per a study, food items containing protein can regulate your diet and give you a feeling of fullness. So, you’re less likely to have hunger pangs, resulting in you consuming lesser portions throughout the day and cutting your calories.

Ultimately, it’s how you plan your diet around peanut butter that dictates the results.

Peanut Butter Improves Sleep

While you may not believe it, eating peanut butter can actually improve the quality of your sleep. This is because it is high in tryptophan, an amino acid that is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Serotonin, the happy chemical, is important for regulating one’s mood and sleep-wake cycles. So, higher levels of serotonin in your body are definitely associated with improved sleep quality.

When we eat peanut butter or any other food item containing tryptophan, our bodies use the compound to produce serotonin. Ultimately, we feel more relaxed and have better sleep cycles.

Sleep is not only good for your overall well-being but is also an essential activity for promoting muscle gain. A good night’s sleep after a particularly tough weight-lifting session will help speed up the recovery process and promote muscle protein synthesis.

Increases Metabolism While Sleeping

It’s been proven that the simple act of eating peanuts regularly can stimulate and increase the rate of metabolism when you are sleeping.

So, eating peanut butter can actually improve your metabolism if you include it in your meal plans on a regular basis. With good metabolism, it’ll be easier for bodybuilders to attain their fitness goals quicker.

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Decent Source of Essential Vitamins and Minerals

In peanut butter, you will find moderate amounts of folate, Vitamin E, magnesium, and resveratrol. All of these are important contributors to a bodybuilding lifestyle.

Here’s how:

• Folate: Folate facilitates the production of RCBs in our bodies, which ultimately promotes the transportation of oxygen and other essential nutrients in our muscles while exercising.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that protects our cells from free radicals, which are often produced during exercise and increase the risk of muscle damage and inflammation.
• Magnesium: Magnesium is responsible for various important bodily functions and reactions, including protein synthesis, energy protection, regulation of electrolyte balance, and so on.
• Resveratrol: Resveratrol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so it’s good for muscle recovery and reduces the risk of delayed onset muscle soreness. Some studies also indicate that the compound might have anabolic effects, implying that it can actually promote muscle growth. Some pieces of research also show that resveratrol can increase testosterone levels, which can significantly speed up the muscle gain and repair process.

Reduces Oxidative Stress

Peanut butter is a rich source of many important antioxidants like p-coumaric acid, which can actually reduce the oxidative stress placed on your muscles.

This can help bodybuilders significantly as they lower oxidative stress levels will also reduce the risk of delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle pains experienced after a strenuous workout.

Peanut Butter is Affordable

Regular gym-goers have to spend a lot of money on expensive food items. Unfortunately, a fitness-centric lifestyle does not come cheap.

But peanut butter, one of the healthiest snacks available to the bodybuilding community, is actually pretty affordable and easily accessible.

People who need to find calorie-dense and nutritious food items no longer have to spend hundreds of dollars on exotic dishes. Instead, they can just get a jar of peanut butter from their nearby stores and call it a day.

Good as a Pre-Workout Snack

Many bodybuilders eat peanut butter as a pre-workout food. That’s because it has the perfect carb-to-protein ratio for allowing gym-goers to enjoy an energy-filled workout session.

On average, a normal peanut butter brand contains only 20% carbohydrates.

It’s Time-Efficient and Versatile

Bodybuilders usually have a busy schedule. Apart from maintaining their usual work-life balance, they also spend hours on training at the gym.

In such a case, they hardly find time to prepare a healthy meal for themselves.

Fortunately, peanut butter does not need any preparation. It’s a simple spread that can be included immediately in anyone’s meal plans.

Moreover, peanut butter can be eaten in several ways. You can mix it up with other food items like fruits or toast. Or, you can simply eat it out of the jar using a spoon. Some bodybuilders like having peanut butter in their protein shakes and smoothies.

Whatever the case, you’ll get the same range of benefits while having a lot of options.

Peanut Butter Tastes Amazing

For such a healthy, nutritious food item, peanut butter sure tastes very good. That’s one of the major reasons why the whole bodybuilding community is crazy about it.

Moreover, many brands have launched differently flavored peanut butter alternatives. So, for some people, it’s all about finding your favorite flavor.

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Parting Words

Peanut butter is simply the ultimate bodybuilding food. It’s cheap, it’s tasty, and it offers a lot of health-related benefits.

Sure, there are other, healthier food items that can help you realize your bodybuilding goals faster. But because of how accessible and convenient peanut butter is, it’s no wonder that it is the most popular snack for bodybuilders.