An Underrated Way To Add More Protein To Your Diet

Protein helps with the development of muscle mass, revs up the metabolism, and decreases blood pressure, per Healthline. The benefits go on and on, but in a nutshell, protein, which is created by amino acids, is prevalent within various parts of our bodies, including our hair, skin, and bones, as noted by Harvard's School of Public Health. USDA's MyPlate refers to protein as the body's "building blocks" and emphasizes that along with fat and carbs, protein gives us the calories, aka energy, per LiveScience, that we need to function.

Luckily, getting your daily intake of protein is easy thanks to the plethora of grocery store options. Better Health Channel states that common sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, eggs, dairy, beans, and nuts. The source goes on to explain various ways of consuming more protein, like eating veggies with hummus or adding some nuts to a chicken salad.

But there's another underrated way to add more protein to your diet and it has to do with a common childhood snack.

If you're tired of munching on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to get your protein fix, try powdered peanut butter instead.

According to PB2Foods, powdered peanut butter is just ground-up roasted peanuts, sans their natural oils. It tastes just like peanut butter and can be used as a powder or a paste in a variety of foods. VeryWellFit offers a few suggestions, such as adding it to a peanut butter milkshake, making a spicy peanut sauce, and blending it with yogurt and frozen bananas to create peanut butter popsicles. But if nostalgia is your thing, you can always make your own peanut butter by mixing this stuff with some water. Two tablespoons with a little bit of water at a time is a good place to start, increasing the amount of water as necessary.

But how much protein are you actually getting from powdered peanut butter? Consumer Reports states that one tablespoon contains 3-4 grams of protein, as well as 25 calories and just one measly gram of fat. Many recipes, like this peanut butter powder smoothie by Create Kid's Club, usually calls for multiple tablespoons of powdered peanut butter, which means you'll be getting way more than 3-4 grams of protein. But you can always adjust this amount as you see fit.

So whether you're making a PB&J sandwich or a milkshake, try adding some powdered peanut butter for a boost of protein and nostalgic peanut butter flavors — without the extra calories and fat.