OK. You probably don’t need an introduction to the peanut butter and jelly sandwich! But maybe you never thought “healthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” So let’s go a bit more in-depth on a food combination that’s been a staple in millions of households for a very long time.
Is a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Truly Healthy?
So you grab two slices of ordinary white bread. You slather both pieces with ordinary peanut butter, then slap some ordinary jam on and put the two slices together. Is what you have healthy? Yes, it’s cheap. That’s important! But is it healthy?
Well…let’s say there are a lot of things less healthy. For example, white toast with margarine! Why is peanut butter and jelly bread an improvement over white toast? Well, for one thing, adding peanut butter lowers the food’s glycemic index considerably since you are adding both protein and healthy fat. This means it will not spike blood sugar nearly as much as white toast. That’s more than just a slight improvement, and is extremely important for diabetics and pre-diabetics! It’s safe to say the primary healthful component is the peanut butter. For starters, white bread is notoriously unhealthy, and many jams are very sugary. So if you just put jam on white bread, that is decidedly not healthy!
But is standard white bread, standard peanut butter, and standard jelly (or jam) a recipe for long-term health and longevity? It might be hard to make the case. So let’s see if we can do something about it. And there are almost certainly some things we can do to change this mediocre not-too-healthy/not-too-unhealthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich into something more resembling a nutritional powerhouse.
Do Something With the Bread
There’s no excuse, with the plethora of types of bread available at more-or-less reasonable prices in most supermarkets, to satisfy oneself with the stretchy, white, foamy loaves on the shelves that go by the name of bread! Sorry if that’s denigrating a North American/European (and other cultures) staple, but it is seriously, in most cases, a highly inferior product. If it was all we had, maybe; but it’s not! I’m not an extremist, I wouldn’t say never, but really, should it be our primary “staff-of-life” food item? I don’t think so – it just isn’t truly “staff-of-life” quality.
- Get bread made with 100% whole grains, if possible. These breads will not spike blood sugar in the same way that ordinary white bread does. It’s very easy to determine if your bread is whole-grain, as it will say right on the packaging “100% whole grain.” If it says “made with 100% whole grain,” it likely has some non-whole grain flour of some type added. “100% whole wheat bread” is made with 100% whole grain, for example, and is a vast improvement over ordinary white bread. Whole wheat bread is usually the same price as white, so if cost is a bit issue, this is an easy switch.
- Get bread made with added seeds and nuts. These breads are generally more expensive. However, adding flax seeds, chia seeds, ancient grains like spelt or amaranth, sunflower seeds, etc., improves the health quality of the bread phenomenally! So, unless you are really down to your last dollars, it is probably worthwhile to “splurge” on quality bread, It’s not really splurging to spend a couple extra dollars to get quality bread with seeds and nuts. For a few dollars, you are getting the backbone for maybe 10 sandwiches. That’s a lot of quality for a few dollars! Plus it tastes better. My opinion, but…!
Do Something With the Peanut Butter
There is a big difference between types of peanut butter! Most ordinary peanut butter has added sugar, salt, and some type of oil – possibly palm oil. However, with a little scrounging, it’s not all that hard to find peanut butter made with simply dry roasted peanuts – and nothing else!
Does it taste gross? No, it does not! Peanut butter does not need salt, and it does not need sugar. (Again, my opinion!) It still tastes great!
Does it need added oil – like palm oil? The only thing added oil does is to keep the peanut butter from separating in the jar. Some people think it keeps the peanut butter from “sticking to the roof of your mouth.” Yeah, there may be something to be said for that. However, it does nothing positive for the taste, and the fact that these oils are hydrogenated is why they add them, to change the texture.
Another option you may want to consider is, don’t use peanut butter at all, use a different nut butter! There are all types out there, almond butter, cashew butter, mixed seed butters and more. They are not cheap – but if you’re allergic to peanuts, or just want something different, many of these taste great and are very healthy.
Do Something With the Jelly
…or jam, as the case may be. Personally, I always use some form of jam, never jelly – I’m guessing most of you do the same!
But there’s definitely something we can do with the jelly. Don’t buy the high-sugar “pectin” jams! In our supermarket, it’s very easy to get a “twice-the-fruit” type jam that tastes hugely better than the pectin jams, with half the calories – 25, as contrasted with 50 per tablespoon in many pectin jams.
Better yet, look for the “sugar-free” jams that are sweetened with stevia or sucralose! They have no added sugar and are often as low as 10 calories per tablespoon.
Add Something to Make Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwiches Healthier
Fresh fruit, like bananas. Chia seed. Flax seed. Hemp seed. Slivered almonds. All of these and more, are great! If for some reason you can’t (or don’t want to have to) afford the breads with added seeds and nuts, you can buy your own nuts and seeds and add them. They will “stick” nicely to the peanut butter and jam, and improve the health quality of your sandwich!
Conclusion
So, you don’t need to give up the pleasure and economy of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich in your quest for health. There are things you can do to greatly improve each and every sandwich, so when you eat them, you know you’re not only getting great taste, but are also staying within budget!
Thank God for the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What a lifesaver!
If you have any comments about the “PBJ,” and what we can do to increase its health (or affordability) qualities, please feel free to share in the comments below.
