People often ask why peanut butter is bad and why it is not included in my recipes.

Many people are going to hate me for this, but someone has to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth.

This is kinda the same reason why I don’t eat pork since I was little. If you want to know why I don’t eat pork, comment below. And I’ll share my story. But for now, we’ll focus on peanut butter.

Many years ago, I stopped eating peanut butter after reading the book The China Study. Dr. Colin Campbell talked about how peanut butter, famous for its value as a cheap protein source, its often used in humanitarian missions to feed the hunger in third world developing countries.

One study found that many kids in the Philippines developed liver cancer from eating contaminated peanut butter in their humanitarian meal packages. What they found was that these children was eating an excessive amount of peanut butter, because that’s the main protein source, so they also ingested a high level of aflatoxins.

After that, I stopped eating peanut butter because I have a weak liver and I need to protect my health. And I didn’t miss it a bit. I still have some peanut butter here and there when eating in Thai or Vietnamese restaurants where they use peanut butter in the sauces. But other than that, I use almond butter or NuttZo butter. It’s super delicious.

Hey, that’s not it. Keep reading.

Here are 4 Reasons Why I Avoid Peanut Butter.

Reason #1 – One of the biggest reasons why I recommend avoiding peanut butter is the exposure to aflatoxins. Peanuts aren’t actually a nut but instead are a legume. Unlike tree nuts, which grow on trees, peanuts grow underground, which leaves them susceptible to mold and fungus. Aflatoxins are a class of toxins produced by the Aspergillus fungus. This fungus is commonly found on agricultural crops such as maize (corn), peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts.

These aflatoxins have been linked to a variety of health issues, most notably liver cancer, but it can also cause growth impairment and developmental delays in children. Aflatoxins found on peanuts may cause fatal allergic responses, digestive inflammation, autoimmune or heart issues, problems with growth and development and parasite infestation.

There are many cancer-causing compounds all around us. Some of them we can control, and some of them we can’t. If I can reduce my exposure to aflatoxins and reduce my risk of getting cancer by avoiding peanut butter, it’s a very small sacrifice to make for my overall health. Why not?

Reason #2 – Peanuts are among one of the most allergenic foods, sometimes even cause fatal anaphylactic events. 1 in 50 children and 1 in 200 adults are allergic to peanuts. Aflatoxins found on peanuts may cause allergic responses as well.

Peanuts contaminated with aflatoxins is one contributing reason why so many kids today have food allergies or inflammatory immune reactions after eating peanuts. Just because you or your child does not show physical reactions to peanuts does not mean you’re cleared. Many hidden food intolerances and sensitivities cause unexplained behavioral changes, which are not easily identified.

Peanut are also loaded with toxic pesticides, toxic waste and heavy metals from the soil they are grown in. Perhaps this could be one of the contributing factors leading so many kids to have life-threatening reactions to a mere crumb of a peanut.

Also, phytic acid found in peanuts and other legumes can block the absorption of iron and zinc, calcium, and other essential minerals. Phytic acid found in food is not a deal breaker. There is also a huge variation in each food. Phytic acid is not a health concern for those who follow a balanced diet and have no digestive or autoimmune issues.

Reason #3 – Peanut butter is one of those “health food” that started out good, then turned evil with unethical manufacturing. Historically, conventional peanut butter brands would use partially hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenated oils are highly processed oils by changing the chemical structure of an otherwise healthy oil, turning the oil into ‘Frankenstein oil.” Hydrogenated trans fats can raise your “bad” cholesterol levels, while lowering your “good cholesterol.” Double whammy, bam, bam…

Hydrogenated oils (trans fats) were originally designed to prolong the shelf-life of processed food so food companies have a longer period to sell the food before spoilage to cut down of food waste cost. But, of course, food manufacturers tell you that it saves you money because your foods don’t spoil.

But they’re not good for the human body. That’s why the government has made efforts to remove these hydrogenated fats from packaged products to reduce human exposure. In 2018, trans fat was banned by the Food and Drug Administration due to its impact on our health, so many food manufacturers were forced to stop using it.

Many brands have switched to adding fully hydrogenated oils to their peanut butter, which do not contain trans fats but are still harmful.

Products are allowed to advertise that they are trans-fat-free as long as they contain less than 0.5 gram trans fats per serving, which means they can claim to have “zero” trans fat on the Nutrition label.

Reason #4 – One of the reasons why peanut butter is so addicting is the added sugars in the jars. The sugar added makes the peanut butter taste good and addicting, as we know sugar is addicting, especially to the low-dopamine ADHD brain. Frequently overeating, added sugar can lead to weight gain, inflammation, chronic disease, heart problems, and more.

If you still choose to eat peanut butter, look for peanut butter brands that contain only peanuts and salt to avoid any unnecessary artificial additives, added sugar and hydrogenated oil. These are usually peanut butter that you have to stir before using. I know many of us health nuts would choose organic peanut butter, thinking that it would have fewer pesticides, less added sugar, emulsifiers, and hydrogenated oils than conventional peanut butter. But even organic peanut butter can still have the mold factor, which is not cool if you suffer from any kind of immune-compromise, liver disease, inflammatory, fungal or yeast-related health conditions like candida or general allergies.

For those of you, who choose to say “no” to peanut butter, here are different nut or seed butters to experiment with.

1. Hazelnut butter
2. Cashew butter
3. Brazil nut butter
4. Macadamia butter
5. Walnut butter
6. Tahini
7. Sunflower seed butter
8. Pumpkin seed butter

That’s it…

I hope you find this information helpful. Let me know what you think and comment below.

Remember, ADHD does not doom your child to a life of underachievement. You know your child is bright, full of potential, and deserves the best. In fact, many of the world’s most significant discoveries and inventions were made by people with ADHD.

I helped my crazy wild child, who couldn’t read or write when she was little, overcome her learning difficulties and become a merit scholarship student majoring in premed at Loyola Chicago University.

So don’t give up; everything is possible.

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