Catalyz Nutrition

Big brand supermarket peanut butters are often loaded with unhealthy trans fats or unstable vegetable oils, sugar or corn syrup, preservatives, and flavor enhancers.    A recent salmonella outbreak was traced to one of the largest manufacturers of peanuts in the U.S.   Many peanuts harbor a mold associated with liver cancer and stunted growth - aflatoxins. 

On the other hand, health food peanut butters (made from nothing but nuts) fall flat in the taste department, and are often unappealing to kids raised on Skippy.    The aflatoxin mold content of peanuts awating "grinding" in bins at the health food store increases, making fresh ground nuts less appetizing.

But peanut butter is a wonderful and familiar snack.  We eat lots at our house, usually on banana or apple slices, or eaten right off of a spoon when cravings for worse snacks (ice cream?) strike.   For a treat, we make our own "Reeces" by topping a serving of peanut butter with a few chocolate chips.

What to do?  For starters, buy organic peanut butter made from Valencia peanuts.    These are grown in arid climates and are significantly less susceptible to developing afloxins.

Secondly, dress up your peanut butter with a small amount of healthy sweeteners and salt.    Here is our favorite recipe:

1 16-oz jar of Arrowhead Mills Organic Valencia Peanut Butter (can be bought online or in health food stores -- try  http://www.vitacost.com/Arrowhead-Mills-Organic-Creamy-Valencia-Peanut-Butter .  I believe Trader Joes also sells its own brand of organic valencia peanut butter)
1.5 Tablespoons honey (raw is healthiest for enzymes/ nutrients, but regular will do)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon stevia powder (if you don't have stevia, just double or triple the honey)

Put all ingredients in a bowl.   Put in a warm place for a couple of hours or until softened (a counter in the summer or an oven with just light bulb on works).   Then stir thoroughly to blend.    Scoop back into the original peanut butter jar, then tuck in the refrigerator.   Polyunsaturated fats in peanuts can easily go rancid, so always store peanut butter in the refigerator.      

If you find you like this recipe, buy 6 jars of peanut butter at a time and make a big batch that will last you a couple months, to save time and effort.