PB2 peanut butter, also known as powdered peanut butter, is a nutrient-dense peanut product. PB2 has a similar taste to traditional peanut butter but is made differently and has a slightly different nutritional profile.
Health Benefits of PB2 Peanut Butter
PB2 is often marketed as a healthy alternative to traditional peanut butter. Although research hasn’t proved that PB2 is more or less healthy than traditional peanut butter, it does have a range of health benefits.
May help prevent peanut allergies. One benefit to PB2 is that feeding it to young children may help prevent peanut allergies later in life. Peanut allergies are a common cause of severe allergic reactions.
It used to be that parents were warned to keep their children away from foods that could cause allergic reactions. But newer research has found that introducing allergens at an early age can help keep children from developing allergic reactions.
A recent clinical trial showed that PB2 was better than other forms of peanut butter at preventing peanut allergies. More research is needed, but it may be one reason to choose PB2 as an early food for infants.
Potential heart benefits. Powdered peanut butter is made from peanuts that have been pressed, removing the oil. Nuts like peanuts have been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. At the same time, they make the insides of your arteries more healthy.
Lower calorie consumption. One of the biggest claims PB2 companies make is that it has fewer calories per serving than per serving of traditional peanut butter.
If you’re trying to cut back on calories, replacing traditional peanut butter with powdered may help. But it’s important to remember not to eat more servings of powdered peanut butter than of traditional peanut butter, as you can quickly undo your hard work.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Using PB2 Peanut Butter?
One downside to using powdered peanut butter is that it doesn’t taste the same as full-fat peanut butter. Manufacturers usually add ingredients like salt and sugar to make powdered peanut butter taste better. These added ingredients may not be good for your health.
Another downside comes from the fact that powdered peanut butter is made by squeezing fat out of peanuts. By removing the fat, you may reduce some health benefits for your body.
Beyond health concerns, powdered peanut butter generally costs more than traditional peanut butter.
And while powdered peanut butter can be used in a variety of ways, if your goal is to turn it into a spreadable paste, it’s not as convenient as traditional peanut butter. Traditional peanut butter is ready to spread on a sandwich right out of the jar, but powdered peanut butter has to be measured and mixed with water to become spreadable.
How Do You Use PB2 Peanut Butter?
PB2 peanut butter is a versatile product. You can mix it with water to make a paste and spread it like traditional peanut butter, but you can also use PB2 peanut butter in its powdered form in things like:
- Smoothies
- Shakes
- Overnight oats
- Baking