Peanut butter , which was once a rarity in the UK, is now everywhere. As of 2020, it now outpaces sales of jam in Britain, and you can find dozens of different nut butters in any supermarket . A significant part of its popularity is that it is seen as a healthier option than other standard spreads. Even the sweetest version contains far less sugar than chocolate spread or jam. But alongside its popularity has grown a backlash – with some questioning whether its protein content is overplayed, and others on social media videos dismissing it entirely as “bad for you”.

Professor Bernadette Moore, nutritional scientist and chair of nutritional biochemistry at the University of Liverpool, says such concerns are based on outdated assumptions.

“The nature of standard peanut butter in the

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