Why You Should Make Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches Your New Best Friend

For anyone who is a lover of peanut butter, bananas and sandwiches, this sandwhich is perfect as a meal and even a pre-workout snack.

Sometimes called the Elvis Sandwhich, the peanut butter and banana sandwhich is actually very healthy and quite delicious. Let’s look into the the three key ingredients: bread, peanut butter and bananas, to find out why this sandwhich is so nutrious.

1. Bread

Obviously you need bread to make the sandwhich but certain breads are better than others. Breads can be classified into two categories: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains include the entire grain kernel: the bran, germ and endosperm. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. By removing them, the fiber and several essential vitamins are also removed.

Fiber is important becuase it regulates bowel functions, lowers “bad” cholestral (called LDL), reduces the risk of developing type II diabetes, and helps you stay full for longer. If you’re full for longer, then you don’t eat as many calories throughout the day and thus are able to maintain a healthy weight. When choosing a whole grain bread, make sure the very first ingredient is a whole grain.

My favorite brands: Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain, Sara Lee Delightful Healthy Multi-Grain Bread

2. Peanut Butter

Despite the high calories (around 200 calories per 2 tablespoons), peanut butter is actually very healthy when eaten correctly. It’s true that peanut butter has a lot of fat, but that fat is healthy monounsaturated fat which is good for your heart. These fats reduce bad cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Peanut butter also have a lot of protein and the vitamin B6 which is required for the formation of serotonin which stabilizes your mood. The protein in peanut butter helps fuel your workout making it a great pre workout snack. In addition, peanut butter is full of magnesium which is responsible for over 300 metabolic reactions. Just don’t go above the 2 tablespoon of peanut butter limit and only use 2 tablespoon for both pieces of bread. When choosing a peanut butter, choose one that is natural and made with peanuts and a little bit of salt only (or no salt). Also, keep these three tips in mind:

1. Avoid partially hydrogenated oils

2. Avoid added sugars (especially with reduced-fat or low-fat peanut butters as sugar is doubled to make it tastier)

3. Avoid palm oil

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