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Is There Any Heart Healthy Alternative To Your Favorite Spread?

Mayonnaise, cream cheese, and any other tasty spread that are favored by people in the past are quickly replaced by nut butters. And the growing concern over peanut allergies and aflatoxin (a harmful mould found in peanuts) will definitely arouse interest in creating alternatives to a favorite comfort food.

All nut butters share the stellar nutritional profile of peanut butter. Some are even better. Nut butters are loaded with vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, zinc, iron, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can help the blood thin and prevent platelets from clotting and sticking to arterial walls.

According to research, women who eat nuts are 40 percent less likely to die from heart disease than those who never eat nuts. In fact, nearly all nuts are high in naturally occurring cholesterol-lowering compounds called phytosterols. So, nut and nut butter lovers who consume several times a week tend to have a healthier ratio of “good” to “bad” cholesterol. For an extra cholesterol-lowering punch, try pistachio nut butter. A new study shows that pistachios and sunflower seeds contain the most phytosterols of commonly eaten seeds and nuts.

Nut butters not only can prevent heart disease but also are good for energy production, hormonal balance, and anti-ageing. New research has focused on their beneficial impact on blood sugar.

A study conducted by Harvard University found that women who consumed 5 tablespoons of peanut butter a week had a lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes, compared to those who never ate peanut butter. Nuts and their butters do contain high calorie and fat content (one tablespoon of nut or seed butter contains 80 to 100 calories and 7 to 10 grams of mostly unsaturated fat), but they have consistently been confirmed by research that they do not contribute to weight gain. The Harvard research has reported that women who consumed more nut and nut butters had a lower body mass index than those who abstained from nuts.

Nuts and nut butters promote satiety and may assist in weight loss because they help people feel full for longer. One tablespoon of nut butters spreading on bagels or toast is not considered too much, especially when it can prevent you from snacking on other high calorie foods or replace the high-fat spreads like butter, mayonnaise and cream cheese. They will help you keep your weight in check.

Besides peanut butter and jelly, you can have other alternatives:

• add sweet or savory spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, or cumin, to a tahini salad dressing mixed with equal parts yogurt and orange juice,

• use nut butters as a crust on fish or chicken,

• kick up the flavor in the favorite sandwich by replacing mayonnaise with a little almond butter or tahini.
   

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