Is Peanut Butter really Peanut Butter?

You know what commercial I hate? The one where the loving, gentle grandfather and his adorable grandson are at the kitchen counter bonding and sharing a moment, while the grandfather generously spreads a heaping serving of a well known peanut butter over a piece of toast.

Why does this commercial enrage me? Because it is a perfect example of how advertising can be very sneaky.

Lets take a look...

Here are the ingredients in Peanut Butter

1. Peanuts

2. Salt

... and if you're hard core, you might condemn and avoid the salt.

The product that the grandfather is so carefully and lovingly preparing for his grandson reads as follows:

1. Peanuts

2. Sugar

3. Molasses (more sugar)

4. Fully hydrogenated Rapeseed and Soybean Oil (crappy fat)

5. Mono & Di glycerides (more fat, sneaky way of allowing small amounts of trans fats into foods)

6. Salt

This is NOT peanut butter! First of all, peanut butter does not, and never should contain sugar. Most likely, one will spread jelly or put fruit with it, so there is no need to boost sugar intake by blending it with the peanuts. This product lists 3g of sugar/serving. That is 3/4 teaspoon. That is a substantial amount of the serving is 2 tbs.

Second, as soon as any product boasts "Hydrogenated Oil" it should just be left on the shelf. Hydrogenated oils are JUNK. They are highly processed with chemicals, laden with pesticides, genetically modified and have been linked to a slew of negative health risks.

There is simply no need for them in a perfectly good jar of natural peanut butter! They are used to keep the peanuts and the oil from separating... but honestly, is stirring up a jar of peanut butter with a knife really all that hard?

I'd much rather do that, then have anything to do with junky, low quality oils, extra sugar, and salt. (The sodium content in the commercials brand is almost 3x higher than the natural peanut butter).

So, as always, the moral of the story, friends, is... Read the label. Know what you are putting into your body.

And in this case... If it contains anything other than peanuts and salt... its NOT peanut butter!!

#vegan #vegetarian #awareness #blog #lifestyle #awareness #ethics #vegawarian