Different protein sources are made of sequences of amino acids that have specific purposes for your body. Twenty amino acids are necessary for your body to function, but your body can make 11 of them. That means you’d only need to get nine amino acids from your diet. Two tablespoons of peanut butter have all nine essential amino acids, and some of these amino acids help with muscle.
Leucine is the amino acid that goes to work on your glutes after several sets of Romanian deadlifts. Peanut butter provides 18% of your daily recommended amount of leucine to build and repair the muscles in the gluteus maximus. Avoid taking leucine supplements because they can slow your metabolism and strain your kidneys. Too much of one amino acid upsets your body’s balance.
You’ll also need valine to support your muscle growth, and peanut butter gives you 14% of your daily requirement. Methionine plays a role in boosting metabolism and helping your body absorb minerals. Peanut butter has 84 milligrams of methionine.
