When you’re on the lookout for the healthiest brands of peanut butter you can eat, it’s the ingredient list hiding at the back of the jar that you have to pay attention to. The fewer the ingredients, the better, per many dietitians.
At a glance, the Fatso natural blend contains more than two ingredients, some of which are unfamiliar. IMO, for instance, is known as a dietary fiber made from short-chain carbohydrates. It’s a common ingredient in beverages, nutrition bars, protein snacks, and low-calorie sweeteners. Interestingly, according to a June 2018 guidance report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IMO is not considered a dietary fiber. The FDA ruled that IMO does not meet the scientific requirement to be labeled a fiber. Some experts say that IMO functions more as a sugar than as a dietary fiber. Although it isn’t fully digested in the gastrointestinal tract, it did result in a higher glycemic response over two hours compared to the sugar substitute dextrose, according to a 2020 study in the Journal of Functional Foods.
As for the Fatso natural blend’s other ingredients, what could be of concern is MCT oil, a saturated fat. Sourced from coconut oil or palm kernel oil, MCT oil boasts health benefits like being a good source of energy, aiding weight loss, and having antimicrobial and antifungal effects, but it also comes with risks like poor heart and digestive health and fat accumulation in your liver.
