Is Peanut Butter Good for Bodybuilding?

Bodybuilders are notorious for using protein bars and shakes along with dietary supplements to pack on pounds of muscle. Strict dieting also plays a major role in bodybuilding, with plenty of meats and whole grains ingested in bulk. Peanut butter is one food that some people shy away from because of its caloric content from sugars. The truth is that peanut butter provides better health results for bodybuilders than many nutrition bars on the market.

Nutritional Information

Peanut butter is more than just sugar and provides you with a long list of vitamins and nutrients required for muscle health and gain. Due to the peanut content, peanut butter offers the protein equal to a variety of meats. Along with these proteins, you also find copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, all minerals that support heart health. Peanut butter's inclusion of mono- and poly-unsaturated fats and minimal trans fat content are also good for bodybuilders.

Incorporating

With the nutritional benefit of peanut butter in bodybuilding, the question of serving size still lingers. Another question that pops up is how to eat peanut butter daily without it becoming mundane. Incorporating peanut butter into your daily diet is fairly simple.

Depending on your specific protein needs, you can eat peanut butter -- a jar of which contains 100 g of protein -- in larger portions. For example, a bodybuilder who weighs at least 200 lbs. requires 100 to 150 g of protein per day, according to sports nutritionist Nancy Clark. You can use peanut butter as a condiment for many foods such as whole-wheat bread or as a marinade for certain meats.

Health Benefits

Since peanut butter is jammed with additional vitamins and minerals, several health benefits accompany it. Besides heart health and lowered cholesterol, peanut butter helps support the repair of muscles after injury. This could lead to faster recovery times and lowered likelihood of a repeat injury at the same site.

Another benefit appears when bodybuilders find they have bulked up beyond healthy limits and need to lose weight. Peanut butter is more filling than most diet foods and will keep you satisfied longer without adding too many calories. Peanut butter also contains required nutrients to help prevent adult-onset diabetes and strengthen your immune system.

Meal Suggestions

Peanut butter is not only a healthy snack to help you feel full in between meals and prevent overeating, but it's also good at meal-time. For instance, spreading peanut butter on a whole-grain bagel at breakfast can provide you with the get-up-and-go you need for your day. Peanut butter is also ideal for sandwiches at lunch or as a sauce for Asian-inspired dishes at supper. Placing peanut butter in your fruit or oatmeal also boosts your meal-time options.