A Defining Question For Our Era-Crunchy Or Smooth?

[+ Gar1eth]

I've always liked crunchy peanut butter. The smooth peanut butter just sticks to the roof of my mouth. I want some texture to my peanut butter. In fact when I buy Jif, I usually get the extra crunchy. So what about the rest of you?

 

Gman

[gallahadesquire]

Unlike the way I like my men, I like smooth and natural: no added anything.

[Guest countryboywny]

Smooth.. with Fluff and fruit preserves.. Now I'm hungry!

[+ honcho]

Smooth, for a bizarre reason.

 

I'm prone to getting canker sores (in my mouth) which makes my woodwind playing *painful*.

 

So I stay away from crunchy peanut butter, sandwiches made with french bread , and blue cheeses - which also seem to provoke them. (atlhough I did love blue cheese... sigh).

[wisconsinguy]

Extra crunchy, toasted bread, with a slice of processed cheese.

[whipped guy]

Interestingly today I made my bimonthly trek across town to visit a natural food store where you are able to grind your own fresh peanut butter. I would never by the processed stuff from a jar! Read the ingredients... and like most processed foods it's loaded with junk... Well that's just the way that I am... and I'm not only that way with peanut butter either... At any rate, in my estimation it's the only way to go. Plus, it tastes like fresh roasted peanuts that you would nibble on at the ball park! It does not get much better than that! Still others might actually prefer the taste if the jar variety with it's added sugar, salt, and whatever else. Heck if that's your thing...enjoy!

 

Incidentally, in a recent thread I mentioned that Publix in Florida etc. sells freshly ground peanut butter in their deli department. It kind of takes the fun out of grinding it yourself, but it is quite yummy as well. So when I'm down south that the route that I take.

 

...and to think that when I was in high school I loved sandwiches made with Skippy and crushed potato chips!!!! Those days are long over!!!!!

 

PS: Forgot to mention... The freshly ground stub is SMOOTH all the way!

[+ Funguy]

Interestingly today I made my bimonthly trek across town to visit a natural food store where you are able to grind your own fresh peanut butter. I would never by the processed stuff from a jar! Read the ingredients... and like most processed foods it's loaded with junk... Well that's just the way that I am... and I'm not only that way with peanut butter either...

 

I'm totally natural, unprocessed, no sugar, salt, or preservatives added.

[wisconsinguy]

WG. I so totally understand your devotion to eating healthy. I will die fighting the food battle. It was my first addiction before I went off to prison.

[marylander1940]

I've always liked crunchy peanut butter. The smooth peanut butter just sticks to the roof of my mouth. I want some texture to my peanut butter. In fact when I buy Jif, I usually get the extra crunchy. So what about the rest of you?

 

Gman

 

What about eating unsalted peanuts or fruit?

 

http://www.okmoviequotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/tumblr_mffb4bOeiL1rddtxto1_500.gif

[Steven_Draker]

Most people are convinced that peanut butter is considered "healthy food".

 

Just take a look at the Nutrition facts label:

 

http://www.rippednfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/planters-natural-peanut-butter-nutritional-label-277x300.jpg

[jawjateck]

Too late for me. My body is already pickled by that extra stuff, and artificial this, that, and the other.

[Steven_Draker]

Too late for me.

 

It's never too late to make healthy lifestyle choices.

[+ purplekow]

It's never too late to make healthy lifestyle choices.

As a physician, I hesitate to say this, but healthy eating is not all it is cracked up to be. You live once, you die once. Every once in a while, you need to live while you are alive and if Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter with Bananas and Whipped Cream fills a happiness void, i say fuck healthy eating and risk the consequences of that self indulgence.

Steven, just curious, did my peanut butter post in another thread, Jeremy Walker, trigger this thread or is this just synchronicity?

[+ Gar1eth]

Steven, just curious, did my peanut butter post in another thread, Jeremy Walker, trigger this thread or is this just synchronicity?

 

I think you meant to ask me as I started the thread. On the other hand, maybe Steven knows me better than I do myself. But yes, you are exactly right. Your previous remarks on Jeremy made me think of the eternal, burning peanut butter controversy. I'm surprised no one, aside from me, who likes crunchy has chimed in. My fellow crunchy lovers must be out there, or they wouldn't sell it.

 

Crunchy lovers unite and arise!!! The only thing you have to lose is a mass of smooth material without a pleasing texture in the roof of your mouth!!

 

Gman

[+ purplekow]

I think you meant to ask me as I started the thread. On the other hand, maybe Steven knows me better than I do myself. But yes, you are exactly right. Your previous remarks on Jeremy made me think of the eternal, burning peanut butter controversy. I'm surprised no one, aside from me, who likes crunchy has chimed in. My fellow crunchy lovers must be out there, or they wouldn't sell it.

 

Crunchy lovers unite and arise!!! The only thing you have to lose is a mass of smooth material without a pleasing texture in the roof of your mouth!!

 

Gman

I guess I couched my Crunchy reply in my answer, but I was talking about myself when I spoke of Crunchy Peanut Butter, Banana and whipped cream.

[Guest AnthonyDriller]

Crunchy peanut butter! :-)

[Steven_Draker]

On the other hand, maybe Steven knows me better than I do myself.

 

I don't have such "pretensions", Gman !

[Steven_Draker]

You live once ...

 

LIVE STRONG, LIVE HEALTHY.

 

 

Is peanut butter really good for you, or is it just another fat-rich processed food?

The answer depends on which brand you buy.

 

By Janey Macleod

 

 

Vegetarians, vegans and folk on a dairy-free diet appreciate the value of peanut butter. As well as being a tasty alternative to dairy butter and cheese, it's a versatile cooking ingredient in its own right (see, for example, our West African Peanut Stew). More importantly, it's very beneficial nutrition-wise. Peanut butter contains around 30 percent protein, and is also a worthwhile source of iron, niacin (vitamin B3) and fiber.

 

But not all brands of peanut butter are equally healthy. In fact, many contain undesirable additives that do more harm than good. So before you buy your next jar, be sure to check the ingredients.

 

Avoid the additives

 

The worst offender is palm oil, a cheap oil that's added to peanut butter to prevent the natural oil from separating out. Unfortunately, palm oil is high in saturated fats. Brands that use palm oil contain 16 to 20 percent more saturated fats than those that don't.

 

As an alternative to palm oil, some brands contain mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids, also known as glyceryl monostearate or distearate, or E471. This is used as an artificial stabilizer. These brands are also high in saturates.

 

Sugar is another common additive, though it's often disguised on the label as dextrose, sucrose or fructose. Sugar adds to the calorie count of the product without any nutritional benefit. Of course, it's also a factor in causing many undesirable conditions, from obesity to dental decay.

 

The 'natural' option

 

http://www.veg-world.com/adverts/peanut-butter.jpg

 

If you want to avoid these and other additives, look for a brand of peanut butter that contains peanuts and nothing else - or, at the very worst, small quantities of added salt. Although too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, small amounts are safe. A sodium rating less than 0.4 grams per 100 grams is acceptable (this is equivalent to about one sixth of a gram of salt per generous serving of peanut butter); anything higher is not.

 

Fortunately, there are several brands of peanut butter on the market that are completely free of additives. Typically described as 'natural' peanut butters, they include Meridian (available in Europe and Australia), and Food Mill, Natural Value and Maranatha (in the US).

 

These and other natural brands can be found in health food stores as well as larger supermarkets. You can also order them on line, for example you can now buy The Peanut Shop's products (see photo) from Amazon.Com, or those from the Peanut Butter & Co at Amazon in the UK.

 

But while these additive-free brands are healthier than their mass-market competitors, they are still high in fat. Even without any added palm oil or stabilizers, peanut butter contains around 42% fat with about 8% saturates. But that compares very favorably with dairy butter (34% saturates) and hard cheeses (around 21% saturates).

 

Disadvantages

 

The main disadvantage of the additive-free brands is that, because they contain no emulsifiers, the natural peanut oil tends to separate out. But that's not really a problem, as it's easy to stir it back in. It's even possible to buy a special mixing gadget for stirring in the oil. It does nothing that you can't do almost as easily with a tablespoon, although it does tend to reduce spillage and mess.

 

Natural peanut butter also has a shorter shelf life than the mass-market variety and needs to be refrigerated after opening.

 

 

source: http://www.veg-world.com/articles/peanut-butter.htm

[ctc2001]

The main disadvantage of the additive-free brands is that, because they contain no emulsifiers, the natural peanut oil tends to separate out.

 

Natural peanut butter also has a shorter shelf life than the mass-market variety and needs to be refrigerated after opening.

I've always refrigerated natural peanut butter after it's been well mixed and never had the oil separate out.

[whipped guy]

I've always refrigerated natural peanut butter after it's been well mixed and never had the oil separate out.

 

ctc is correct!!!! Most definitely refrigerate it. I do so immediately after it is purchased (see my post above as I grind my own) and never have had a problem. Another trick to know about is that it can also be frozen. It will keep for quite a while, thaws out perfectly, the consistency remains stable, and the flavor is not affected. I first did this when I had extra on hand was to be away for an extended period... I gave it a shot and it worked perfectly. As I said a good trick to know...

 

Note: when freshly ground the oil dies not readily separate. It happens over time as is evidenced by the natural peanut butter that is pre-packaged and sold in jars.

[Steven_Draker]

(see my post above as I grind my own)

 

I posted before reading your message, Whipped Guy.

 

I congratulate you on your healthy choice. I'm proud of you!

[wisconsinguy]

I love fat in any form. Alive or dead. I was at one time 170lbs over what I consider my ideal wt. I did cardiac rehab during that time. I hope I was an inspiration

to my patients. They were to me! I have a a peanut butter sandwich and a little Haagan Dazs rarely. Au naturale, like my men! Ummm.

[tyro]

Smooth Simply Jif. Yeah, I know it's still full of evils, but oh well........

T

[jawjateck]

Smooth Simply Jif. Yeah, I know it's still full of evils, but oh well........

T

 

I'm with you, T. I'm an advocate of all kinds of naughty habits.

[tyro]

And if we didn't believe you from your posts here, we could always check your blog.

T