Peanut Butter Addict - Question

[jackruss99]

Hey everyone

I am just wondering about the natural peanut butter that everyone is eating. I am a self proclaimed pb junky. I have avoided it for all of phase I (move to p2 tomorrow!!!) because I was afraid that the natural pb would taste yucky.

Is it as good as the real stuff? Any brand recommendations?

Thanks guys!

[RedRox]

Well like everything else about this program, the answer tends to vary by person. I happen to like the natural stuff. I think it tastes much better than the "regular" stuff and even if I went off SB, I'd keep eating natural PB! Some don't like it as much and find it too boring or "yucky". Some like you who are used to sweetened PB find it too bland. Some people add some splenda or other artificial sweeteners to counteract this "complaint". It really doesn't matter on the brand. Smucker's and Adam's (made by Smucker's) seem to be very common brands that are relatively easy to find. Other's like their Trader Joe's and some like those kinds of stores that make it fresh for their customers.

The first key is to simply look at the ingredient list. There should be nothing other than peanuts and salt. The salt free ones just have peanuts, but those are even more bland in my opinion.

Another key is how to "care" for it. Since it has no transfats to keep the oils from separating, you can't use it as soon as you open the jar. You have to remix all the oils back into it and then store it in the refrigerator to keep the oils from re-separating on you. One helpful hint I learned here was to store it upside down for a while and then start flipping it back and forth with a "rest" period in between for a few hours and then mix it up. This helps to pre-mix the oils a bit and makes the job a bit easier. I've even seen someone (Smuckers I think) that sells a PB stirrer that fits on their jars to make it easier. I just use a regular table knife and use a sort of stirring folding motion like you might use when folding beaten egg whites into a recipe.

[lemondog]

Well, I am a Jif girl so I had to get used to the natural. Do you like regular peanuts? Because that is exactly what natural pb tastes like. It's okay, but I find that if I mix in a little Splenda it begins to taste a LOT more like the Jif I know and love, although the consistency is still not *quite* as smooth. But it works and on a sandwich you really can't tell the difference.

[BusyMom]

I love the unsalted, smooth type sold at Trader Joe's (green bottle). It is so delicious! I have my kids hooked on it too. Peanuts are the only ingredient, so it must be healthier. I stir it well upon opening and then keep it in the fridge.

[hulahoop]

I was "raised" on Peter Pan peanut butter, but my husband brought me over to "Natural" about 20 some years ago. I love Smuckers brand. For the past 10+ years I make my husband's peanut butter in my food processer. We buy unsalted redskins and grind them up into a paste. I don't add anything to it so it's very dry and crumbly. He just eats it - never makes a sandwich with it. I do snitch some it when I make peanut butter cookies, but I don't like it for any other use. It takes awhile to get used to Natural but it's so much heartier and so much more satisfying.

[startingfresh]

I ran out of natural PB and almond butter a while back, so grabbed a teaspoon of the regular jar I have left ... It tasted like plastic, not peanuts. I didn't mind it before because I didn't know better, but my taste buds have definitely been trained to know what's good!!

[srwerner]

I could take or leave regular pb before, but the natural is absolutely addicting! I have to be careful, or I'd eat the whole jar in a few days. Funny thing is I've gone through 2 jars of natural PB since starting SB in June and there's still a jar of regular pb in the fridge from I'd say about 2 years ago, it's not even halfway gone!

[Morningstar]

I'm addicted I belive to the brand Laura Scudder's. It's made by Smuckers. I've almost gone through a while jar in less than a month. I love to mix a spoonful in my vanilla yogurt in the afternoon for a nice little treat. Or just eat it by the spoonful...(as I sit here typing with a spoon hanging out of my mouth)

MY SO worked in a health food warehouse out in Pheonix back in the late 70's and still to this day raves about Deaf Smith peanut butter. Which can now be found under the brand name Arrowhead Mills.

[AlyCat]

It took me a while to get used to, but now I can't stand the "regular" kind. It tastes fake and too sweet for me!

[DonnaSu]

From reading all you guys wrote it seems that plain skippy PB is not allowed? or am I mistaken...?

[AlyCat]

Nope. It has sugar and partially hydrogenated oils. Stick to the natural.

[justmarried]

Ok, so does that also mean that the "Carb Options" Skippy Peanut Spread is bad too? I bought a whole jar and already opened it (took a spoonful to see how it tasted lol). It's sweetened with Splenda but has partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (rapeseed, cottonseed, and soybean) to keep it from seperating. However on the label it says Trans Fat 0g. Here's a link: http://www.carboptions.com/prod_PeanutSpread.asp

Maybe they hydrogenated the right kind of oils I know, wishful thinking.

[rockymtngal]

The problem is the hydrogenation makes even the "right kind of oil" bad for you. I wish these companies would quit using it all together. Wishful thinking as you said

[cco7128]

This WOE has changed my tastebuds so much! I love natural peanut butter. When I first used it on my celery, I kinda hesitated, but then fell in love. I love the peanuty taste........unlike my former obsession with Peter Pan Honey!

[justmarried]

ok I'm a newbie, what's a WOE? Sorry about being confused, I thought it would be ok since it didn't have trans fat. I thought that was the problem with the oil stuff.