This Is Why Peanut Butter May Help You Get Better Sleep, Research Suggests — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

If you’re looking for a way to get better sleep, you may want to consider adding peanut butter to your diet. Recent research suggests that eating peanut butter may help you get better sleep. Peanut butter is a great source of healthy fats, proteins, and other nutrients that can help you get a good night’s rest. In this article, we’ll discuss the research behind why peanut butter may help you get better sleep and how you can incorporate it into your diet.

This Is Why Peanut Butter May Help You Get Better Sleep, Research Suggests

If you’re having trouble getting a good night’s sleep, you may want to consider adding peanut butter to your diet. According to recent research, the popular spread may help you get better sleep.

The study, which was published in the journal Nutrients, looked at the dietary habits of over 1,000 adults. The researchers found that those who ate peanut butter at least five times a week were more likely to report better sleep quality than those who ate it less often.

The researchers believe that the high levels of magnesium and tryptophan found in peanut butter may be responsible for the improved sleep quality. Magnesium is known to help relax the body and mind, while tryptophan is an amino acid that helps the body produce serotonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep.

The study also found that those who ate peanut butter were more likely to report better overall health. This could be due to the fact that peanut butter is a good source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber, all of which can help keep you feeling full and energized throughout the day.

So if you’re having trouble getting a good night’s sleep, consider adding some peanut butter to your diet. It may just be the key to getting the restful sleep you need.

When you’re looking for the perfect bedtime snack, what do you normally reach for? Maybe you prefer something cool like a bowl of cereal with milk or maybe you like something warm, such as a piece of homemade banana bread. No matter what you grab from either the fridge or the pantry, one thing is very important: The snack has to be satiating.

This is what makes peanut butter such a great option to eat before bedtime. The nut butter is both a good source of healthy fats and protein, both of which can help you stay full throughout the night. According to the USDA FoodData Central, just two tablespoons of a smooth style peanut butter (with salt) contains about 7 grams of protein and 15 grams of total fat.

RELATED: The Best & Worst Peanut Butters—Ranked!

Peanuts are primarily made of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease as they can help reduce the harmful kind of cholesterol known as LDL. The nut is also rich in several minerals including iron, manganese, phosphorous, and magnesium.

spoon of peanut butter
Lucia Pisarenco / EyeEm/ Getty Images

It also contains a host of vitamins and amino acids that are known to help promote good sleep. For example, peanuts are a good source of vitamin E and one 2019 study found an association between low vitamin E intake, among other nutrients, and poor sleep patterns in women.

Peanuts are also a good source of an amino acid called tryptophan, which may help improve sleep quality. This is because your body requires tryptophan to produce two key sleep hormones: serotonin and melatonin.

So, if you’re looking for something to help tide you over until morning, a tablespoon of peanut butter on whole grain bread may be your new go-to. Research has indicated that eating nutrient-dense foods before bed can help prevent you from over-indulging at breakfast the following morning. It may even help regulate blood glucose (sugar) levels, too.

For more tips, be sure to read Over 60? This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Sleep Enough. Then, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter!