aaron burr

Since I can remember, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have always been one of my favorite things to eat. I love peanut butter and jelly. Well, I love peanut butter. Sometimes, I can do without the jelly. So simple, so filling, so sweet, and best of all... so cheap!

Anyway, not only is it remarkably delicious and affordable, but I always hear in nutrition magazines that peanut butter is actually good for you! Fantastic!! I was like, "Nice! I'm going to eat this every day for lunch! Maybe even for breakfast, too! Oh what the hey, why not three times a day?!" It was awesome. I was totally excited. Although, jelly can't particular be that great for you, so I decided that at times, I would just cut back on the jelly altogether.

So one day, I was conversing with a dear cousin of mine, and the topic of peanut butter came up. I told her about how I had been eating peanut butter sandwiches at lunch, and she was like, "You know that you have to get all-natural peanut butter for it to be healthy, right? The peanut butter with hydrogenated oils in them are actually bad for you."

Oohhhh crap.

I turned to my desk drawer and lifted up my jar of Simply JIF and sat at my desk in bewilderment. But... it's simply JIF! It has less sodium and 33% less sugar than regular JIF! Choosy moms choose JIF!!! What's going on in the world?!???

Being the curious cat and practicing health nut that I am, I start my research: "H-y-d-r-o-g-e-n-a-t-e-d o-i-l-s." Wikipedia is my bestfriend.

For once in my life, I was surprisingly happy I took organic chemistry. Yes, I was glad I suffered through two semesters of torture to learn the breaking and bonding of molecules because for once, just this once, it actually came in handy. HA HA! Can you believe it, Dr. Krische? Me, happy to take ochem! I never thought I'd live to see the day. Congratulations, universe. You win.

*Warning: nerd alert ahead*

So basically, hydrogenation is the process in which hydrogen atoms are added to saturate a compound - meaning it changes the compound to reach a higher concentration point. In foods, hydrogenation is often used to process oils changing the fatty acids from unsaturated to saturated. Most of the time, only partial hydrogenation is done to vegetable oils, and due to this, many unsaturated carbon bonds are left. This is dangerous to our health because these unsaturated carbon bonds have the potential to isomerize, or change shape, and this kind of bonding is found to be linked to heart disease. The shape that the molecules change to is called the trans configuration. Versus the cis configuration, trans is more difficult to break up. Therefore, your body stores this trans fat and is unable to easily break it down to change the fat into energy. Hence why you hear trans fat is bad for you.

In conclusion, don't buy peanut butter with partially hydrogenated oils.

This turned out to be a predicament. What am I to do now?? Then, it dawned on me. Of course! I will go to Central Market to find a healthy alternative to dangerous peanut butter. My quest was to find the best natural peanut butter out there.

My friends, I tried everything. From making my own peanut butter in Central Market's bulk section to some no name natural brand of peanut butter, I was constantly searching for and trying out new kinds of natural peanut butter. The problem with natural peanut butter is that it collects oil at the top of the jar because all the natural oils from the peanuts float to the top. Every time I'm about to eat it, I am forced to use my butter knife to mix the entire jar so that I'm not just spreading peanut oil all over my slice of bread. Ew.. gross. I was so sad. Not to mention, the taste of crushed peanuts isn't the most appealing flavor in the world. I started to use more jelly than peanut butter to overpower the taste, but that defeats the whole purpose of a "healthy" sandwich!

After many months of searching, I was about ready to quit. I stopped analyzing the different jars of peanut butter in the aisles of grocery stores. I stopped looking online for alternatives. I stopped eating peanut butter. I told myself that it was probably for the best anyway. If I couldn't eat it the natural and healthy way, I would just have to give it up.

But then, this past week, I went to the gigantic HEB next to my new apartment. It is a very nice location, and I shopped there for the first time. I really enjoy grocery shopping, and this newfound place was pretty nice. I like to familiarize myself with local marketplaces because I know I will be spending a lot of time there during my visits.

I walked past the bread/peanut butter aisle, and I couldn't help but stop. I browsed through the selection not really expecting to find much (I mean, come on, it's HEB. What could they possibly have that Central or Whole Foods wouldn't have?). My gosh, how much further from the truth could I have been?? There in front of me, was a small jar of "Skippy Natural Peanut Butter."

"What's this?" I wondered. I read the nutrition facts and could not believe what I was seeing. Could this be? "No need to stir. No trans fat per serving. No oily mess." What?? What am I missing here? Brands like Skippy, JIF, and Peter Pan don't make natural peanut butter! Do they? Test #1 - nutritional value: check.

Immediately, I added it to my cart and rushed home. I opened up the jar, and sure enough, there was no oily substance floating at the top. Test#2 - no oily residue: check. Once opened, I grabbed a spoon and dipped into the smooth surface of this creamy substance. Test#3 - taste: hmm... HMMM... check and check!

I found the winner. Skippy Natural contains roasted peanuts, palm oil (which is not a hydrogenated oil), sugar, and salt. Yes, it could probably do better without the sugar, but I think this is way closer to health and good flavor than the other 20 brands I've tried.

No longer will I be deprived of peanut butter. Given the Chef's Best Taste Award in 2008, I will be a loyal and devoted customer until the day I find something better, which doesn't look promising anytime in the near future.

Finally, I can throw away the 10 different jars of jelly I have piled up in my fridge.