Peanut butter is a spread that people love to eat in many different ways; it can be homemade, store-bought, eaten straight out of the jar, or smothered into a PB&J sandwich — there's no right or wrong. Store-bought PB covers just about every preference, from texture differences like smooth or crunchy to ingredient variations like no added sugar or salt. But when it comes to store-bought peanut butter, not all are made equally.
It's hard to argue with Smucker's popularity since its delicious PB products make it one of the leading peanut butter brands in the U.S. But one of their variations which can be a little deceiving, is Smucker's Reduced Fat Natural Style Creamy Peanut Butter.
This particular reduced-fat variation might be one of the unhealthier kinds of peanut butter out there , although reduced-fat peanut butter is usually marketed otherwise. While this specific PB contains 12 grams of fat compared to the usual 16 grams, other ingredients like maltodextrin have been added to make up for the missing fat content. Maltodextrin is a highly processed carbohydrate used in many store-bought goods, usually to thicken or sweeten foods.
Consuming large amounts of maltodextrin can also have negative health effects, especially for people with diabetes or autoimmune diseases (via Healthline ). Smucker's reduced fat peanut butter contains maltodextrin Maltodextrin has a higher glycemic index than regular sugar, which means it can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. This can be det.