If you frequently have the urge to satisfy your taste buds with a spoonful of peanut butter during pregnancy, you’re not alone. A 2015 study from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics revealed that 13% of pregnant women mentioned a “salty food” craving during their first trimester, with peanut butter being one of the specific foods cited within that category.
Peanut butter may be on your radar for a number of different reasons, say researchers, including a specific nutritional need that your body is calling out for (via Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics). This plant-based protein supports your baby’s health in many ways. In particular, peanut butter is a good choice for helping the body maintain blood glucose homeostasis due to its low glycemic index (via British Journal of Nutrition). It might play a beneficial role in managing gestational diabetes, defined as abnormal blood glucose levels during pregnancy, which occurs in roughly 2-10% of women each year in the U.S., per theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers have proposed that “cravings for salty food during pregnancy may be protective against later risk for abnormal glucose tolerance” (via Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics). What’s more, peanuts are a powerful source of fiber, niacin, folate, and magnesium, as noted by the study from the British Journal of Nutrition — which are high on the list of daily nutritional requirements for expectant mothers (via perinatology.com).