Peanut Butter Linked To Lower Risk Of Breast Disease

Peanut butter is pretty delicious, especially in cookies or spread on hot toast, and it turns out peanut butter might actually be offering significant health benefits to people who partake regularly, as a recent study shows girls who ate peanut butter regularly during their youths had a significantly reduced risk of breast disease.

Benign breast disease is a noncancerous disease, but it increases the risk of a patient developing breast cancer later in life. The Washington University School of Medicine began the study in 1996, looking at 9,039 U.S. girls between the ages of 9 and 15 and tracking their eating habits over the years. According to the data, the girls who reported eating peanut butter twice a week had a 39 percent lower risk of developing benign breast disease. The effect was particularly notable in the cases of girls with a family history of breast cancer.

"These findings suggest that peanut butter could help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women," the study's lead author said in a statement.

According to the Huffington Post, the scientists say other sources of vegetable fat and protein could offer the same benefits, but there was not as much data available as for peanut butter.

The study is ongoing, but for now it's good news for peanut butter lovers. Check out some of our best peanut butter recipes for some interesting ways to get a dose or two.