Low-fat and no-fat diets were all the rage in the '80s, and it took decades for health-conscious consumers to realize that fat isn't only important for your health and satiety, but it's necessary to combat the high sugar alternatives that made their way into processed foods and "healthy" foods of the day (via PBS).
Thankfully, we have since learned that it's more important to discern between the type of fat you eat rather than the amount of fat you eat – specifically monounsaturated fats like the kinds found in olive oil and peanut butter, and polyunsaturated fats like those founds in fish like salmon. When you aren't getting enough healthy fats in your diet, your body will start craving those fats, and peanut butter is a great way to do just that (via Healthline). Unfortunately, the texture of peanut butter makes it incredibly easy to overindulge in. As Dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner explained to HuffPost, "Things that are creamy without much chewing needed aren't as filling as foods that have more chewing involved."
The same can be said for low-carb diets. Since low-sugar varieties of peanut butter are permitted on many carb-restricted plans, that slight sweetness satisfies your body's carbohydrate cravings. That means when you want something sugary, your brain will immediately go to peanut butter for satisfaction (via Healthline).
