17 Signs You Are Obsessed with Peanut Butter
We admit it! We love peanut butter—and we love to write about it. Peanut butter goes with so many different foods, it's a filling healthy fat, and all-in-all, it tastes amazing. But are you so obsessed with peanut butter that you find yourself a peanut butter addict, per se? I, the writer, will wholeheartedly confess to being dependent on peanut butter—so, from experience, I deem myself as the expert in this field. See how well you can relate to the list below, and then try out one of these peanut butter recipes for when your mouth starts to water!
You go through one jar every week.
The label says 16 servings, but you easily kill the jar in a week's time. If this is a weekly ritual for you, then yes, you do show symptoms of having a dependency on peanut butter. No need to panic, though; this isn't a strap-you-in-a-straitjacket situation. Just remember that, if you're trying to scorch stomach fat, going through a jar a week probably won't help you reach your goals as quickly as you'd like. However, if you're pretty active, you might be okay to dig in because you're in need of the extra calories. After all, there's a performance perk to the spread: peanuts are packed in leucine, an amino acid that aids in muscle repair!
You call it PB for short.
Pet names are just a part of the game we call love. When you're truly committed to peanut butter, it becomes tiresome to articulate the entire name over and over again when boasting about it to your friends. Sooner or later, you find yourself shortening the name to its initials out of convenience…and because you're obsessed with it!
Just one spoonful gets your mouth watering.
If this resembles you then yes, you are exhibiting symptoms of having a dependency on peanut butter. As ridiculous as this animation seems, there is some truth behind it. Whether you're cheering because you're eating one of the tastiest high protein snacks out there or because you're just an innately happy person, one effect that peanut butter has on the body may be the most plausible factor in your excitement equation.
Peanut butter actually contains a plant sterol called beta-sitosterol, which works to fight against the effects of stress. Studies indicate that it helps the stress hormone, cortisol, balance out with other hormones. So, if you're in high-stress mode and have the urge to shovel out a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter, your body is trying to balance its hormones. Who knew peanut butter was also a natural stress reliever?
You can't just have one spoonful.
So, one spoonful may start a domino effect of multiple spoonfuls. We get it, you had a long day at work and you're looking forward to a hot date with your jar of peanut butter but try and refrain from consuming gobs of it in one sitting. Follow one of the best weight loss tips, which is practicing mindfulness when eating. Really savor each individual tablespoon worth of PB; you may only need one or two!
If PB is on the menu, you're hooked.
Picture this: you're perusing the menu at brunch and you spot a dish with peanut butter in it. If your taste buds are truly conditioned to love all things peanut butter, then you most likely are down to slather PB on just about anything. Peanut butter french toast? I'll have an order of that, please!
You make PB&J gourmet.
You know your dependency is out of control when you start incorporating a certain aesthetic into the way you prepare your PB&J. If you're going all out with the decorative cutting board, slicing an expensive french baguette, or even serving this as the main dish at a dinner party, then you're in too deep.
You start making your own.
Do you want to learn how to lose belly fat? Besides making a significant reduction in added sugars, another thing you can eliminate is synthetic oil—specifically, ones of the hydrogenated nature. While there are many brands that don't include these oils in their product, you may save a few dollars by whipping up your own batch! Here's How to Make Nut Butter at Home With the Easiest Recipe.
PB2 doesn't feel the same.
Dehydrated peanut butter? Where's the delish factor in that? To be fair, it is much lower in calories and fat than normal peanut butter, clocking in at just 45 calories for 2 tablespoons and only costing you 1.5 grams of fat. Nevertheless, the taste and texture of PB2 just aren't the same for the avid connoisseur of peanut butter. Plus, regular peanut butter is packed with the healthy fats that keep you fuller, longer.
Your pantry feels empty without it.
Ever find yourself with an empty jar of peanut butter and no new jar in site? We feel for you. On the bright side, this serves as a wonderful opportunity for you to try another one of the other nutritious nuts out there! Grab a bag of raw almonds for munching on at the beach to hold you over until you return to your loved one.
You find "the one."
Your dependency only worsens when you find the brand that produces the most irresistible version to you. This is what marketers like to call brand loyalty. No matter how extravagant the competing brand's advertisements are or how cheap their products may be, you are devoted to one, and only one, brand. Kudos to you for finding your PB soulmate! We just hope it's one of the better options; you can find out by checking our exclusive list of 36 Top Peanut Butters—Ranked!
You put PB in your oatmeal.
Oatmeal and peanut butter is actually my favorite breakfast combination. Two tablespoons of this nut butter contain around 7-8 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. This fiber and protein duo work to ensure you feel full for a longer period of time (because protein takes a longer time than carbs to digest, and fiber aids in the process of digestion by slowing the absorption of sugar in your bloodstream). Add PB into oatmeal and I feel like I'm instantly given the gift of satiety and nourishment.
You get notifications when peanut butter is on sale.
Oh shoot, hold the phone—literally—because your absolute favorite brand of peanut butter is on sale this week! For me, this is quite a glorious moment; two jars for $5 is my jam! Does your peanut butter never seem to go on sale? Consider seeking out ones that do but are free of palm oil, sugar, and hydrogenated oils. In fact, there should only be one ingredient: peanuts.
Almond butter comes second.
For you, no other nut butter can compare to peanut butter—not even vitamin E-rich almond butter. However, it's certainly not seen as taboo; it's just a different kind of nut that doesn't fulfill the craving for PB. Almond butter definitely offers a bit more nutrition such as vitamin E and a higher content of amino acids (i.e. the building blocks of protein) but there's no reason you have to choose one or the other.
You detect when PB is missing.
This is just a downright crime. Smoothie recipes without peanut butter? Do they even taste good? The answer is yes. Yes, they do, but peanut butter makes an incredibly delicious addition to most fruit smoothies. Not to mention the healthy fats help your body absorb all of the nutrients that reside within each piece of fruit. Peanut butter fans know when the nut butter is absent because PB makes the shake just a bit thicker and offers a pleasant nutty flavor to an otherwise sweet mix.
You're nostalgic for PB&J's from childhood.
Fellow peanut butter addicts, I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the first time you ever sunk your teeth into a plump PB&J. Maybe you cannot remember the first time, but one thing's for sure: it was so good that it kept you coming back for more. Nowadays, as nutrition becomes a more prevalent topic in society, the classic PB&J is not all that healthy. Fortunately for you, there are ways to make it healthier! First, I recommend utilizing Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain bread because it is free of all those nasty fake ingredients and preservatives. Next, as I said above, choose a peanut butter that only has one ingredient: peanuts. Finally, swap out the jam or jelly that's laden in added sugars for half a banana! And if you really want an extra sweet kick, drizzle just a bit of organic honey and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon atop the innards. There you have it folks—a new and improved health-inspired PB&J recipe.
If you don't have it in the morning, you think about it all day.
You literally cannot function. All you can think about is PB. Why didn't I just have it this morning? WHY!? Denying yourself of any food is not good for you mentally or physically. You're not going to speed up your metabolism by restricting yourself from having a tablespoon of peanut butter in the morning; in fact, it'll drive your cravings to a new level of insanity and may cause you to overindulge when you get home. Whoever said patience is a virtue was probably thinking about the peanut butter they can't wait to eat.
You get offended when other's don't love PB like you do.
Not everyone is as gung-ho about peanut butter as you, and that's alright. It's just something you need to accept because life is too short to have disdain for others, especially if it's over peanut butter. Peanut butter is supposed to alleviate you from your high-stress moments, remember? Its purpose in the earthly realm is not to spark arguments, it's supposed to spread happiness. But we do understand if you need to remind yourself of this more than once upon encountering people who don't love PB.
