New research has found the nutrient-rich spread has one key benefit
Sally McLean Head of Lifestyle, Trends and Showbiz and Hannah Geissler
04:30, 01 Mar 2026
Three tablespoons of peanut butter every day has been found to have health benefits(Image: Getty)
As you spread your peanut butter on toast you might not think much about the health benefits to this unassuming paste. But it’s packed with nutrients, gives a balanced source of energy and is a source of healthy fats too.
And a new study has found that eating three tablespoons of peanut butter daily has significant health benefits for older people. The research at a university in Melbourne, Australia, found it boosted muscle power in elderly participants.
The six month study, which was carried out by researchers at Deakin University, found that those who ate 43g of peanut butter every day were able to complete a sit to stand test faster than those who maintained their normal diet. Those who ate the peanut butter increased their energy and unsaturated fat intake but did not gain weight, reports The Express.
Dr Sze-Yen Tan, associate professor and nutrition researcher at Deakin University, said the findings could help minimise the risk of falls and loss of independence and which can be common for older generations.
Dr Sze-Yen Tan said: “Being able to complete the test faster means greater muscle power. Muscle power enables older people to perform activities of daily living, such as stair climbing and rising from a chair. Increased muscle power also reduces the risk of falls, which is a common reason for loss of independence, compromised quality of life and even premature death.”
Woman spreads peanut butter on toast with knife. Benefits and harms of peanut butter sandwiches in the morning concept(Image: Getty)
The study took 120 adults in the age range of 66 to 89, all of whom were living independently. The participants had to stand up from a seated position in a chair with their arms crossed over their chests as quickly as possible.
The researchers found that the peanut butter eaters performed better on this test. They noted though that similar improvements were not seen in tests of gait speed, stepping tests and tests where people were asked to stand up from a chair, walk around a cone and sit down again.
The findings were written about in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle where researchers said that the increased consumption of peanut butter was confined to improved muscle power.
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They wrote: “Evidence indicates that muscle power declines earlier and more substantially than muscle strength and muscle mass with ageing.
“Our findings in muscle power are also clinically important because low relative muscle power is an indicator of mobility limitation, and it has been linked to greater odds of self‐reported walking difficulty.
“Recent findings further indicate that the dynamic nature of muscle power is more crucial for survival and independence than maximal strength. Therefore, an improvement in muscle power documented in our study is of clinical importance.”
Ways to consume peanut butter dailyOn toast
One of the easiest ways is to spread it on your morning toast. But why not top it with banana slices or even add flax seeds or chia seeds on top for extra nutrition.
In a smoothie
Add a couple of tablespoons to a smoothie with your favourite combinations and blitz for an easy way to get your PB fix.
With apple slices
Jazz up your fruit intake and use apple slices to to scoop up the peanut butter for a filling snack. You can even mix it with Greek yoghurt to make it a creamy dip. Or grab some sliced cucumber and use that to scoop it too.