from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Is there anything more common to
school lunch bags than peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches? That staple of
kids lunches is being challenged by
schools concerns over peanut
allergies. Don’t despair. Nutrition
experts at the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center say
spreads made from other nuts or
seeds provide a nutritious alternative
to peanut butter. Registered clinical
dietitian Joyce Barnett suggests
almond butter, soy nut butter or
sunflower seed butter. She says
almond butter is high in protein, plus
it can help reduce cholesterol and
risk of heart disease. Soy nut butter,
from soybeans, is high in fiber, but
should be avoided by children with
soy allergies. Barnett says sunflower
seed butter is free of peanuts and
tree nuts, plus it contains
magnesium and vitamin E.