PB-The Muscle Food

As a high-protein, high-calorie and high-energy food, peanut butter makes a useful snack for weightlifters. As your muscles grow, they need fuel to both repair cells and expand. Peanut butter is energy-dense, meaning you get lots of nutrition benefits for a relatively small snack. If your goal is both to help your body repair itself after weight training and add bulk to your muscles, peanut butter should be part of your diet plan.

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MUSCLE RECOVERY
Weightlifting puts great strain on your muscles. Protein and carbohydrate help your muscles repair themselves. Aiding muscle recovery both reduces your soreness after lifting and helps you keep your lifting schedule regular. According to Columbia University Health Services, your muscles store only enough of the energy-giving substance glycogen for an hour of training. Foods such as peanut butter on toast, eaten 15 minutes after your workout, help you replenish these lost stores of glycogen and start repairing muscle tissue.

BUILDING MUSCLE
Building some muscle mass is the goal of most weightlifters. According to advice from the University of New Hampshire, you need an extra 2,500 calories to add an extra 1 lb. of muscle to your body -- assuming you're combining your extra food intake with a weightlifting program. Protein should make up around a quarter of these calories. Peanut butter contains approximately 192 calories per 2-oz. serving. Eating just two peanut butter sandwiches per day can increase your calorie and protein intake significantly.

FATS
Most peanut butter contains high levels of fat. However, much of the fat in peanut butter is beneficial to the body and suitable for a weightlifter's diet. For example, enriched chunky peanut butter contains 24 percent monounsaturated fat, 14 percent polyunsaturated fat and 7 percent saturated fat. In the book "Fitness Nutrition for Special Dietary Needs," the authors point out that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat should make up the bulk of your fat intake, with saturated fat only 7 percent of overall fat consumed. This makes peanut butter the ideal balance for weightlifters keen to avoid unhealthy snacks.

CONSIDERATIONS
Beginner weightlifters require larger amounts of protein because their muscles experience more stress than experienced lifters. Similarly, overloading or raising your weight level suddenly means you'll need more protein and carbohydrates for muscle repair. A peanut butter sandwich makes a handy snack in these circumstances. For maximum benefit, buy crunchy peanut butter varieties with added vitamins and minerals. Some peanut butter contains reduced saturated fat and reduced salt, making it a healthier snack to enjoy.

Via Livestrong