Peanut Butter Diet

Full Name: The Peanut Butter Diet

Origin: Created by Holly McCord, senior editor at Prevention magazine

Description: Calorie-reduced diet that includes a scoop of peanut butter with each meal

Likes: Peanut butter, chicken, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables

Dislikes: Cheese, mayonnaise, breads, butter, candy

Looking for: A peanut butter fanatic or someone who isn't allergic to peanuts

Works Well With: Jam

A weight loss diet consisting of peanut butter, how could you go wrong? Yes, peanut butter is a delicious dietary staple, but any diet that consists of unlimited amounts of this smooth rich spread cannot help with weight loss on its own. The premise of this diet is to follow a calorie-reduced meal plan and have up to six tablespoons of peanut butter a day. Six! That's a lot of peanut butter, not to mention a lot of extra fat that's simply not conducive to losing weight. Each tablespoon of peanut butter can contain up to 15 grams of fat and 150 calories! (And that's a perfectly measured tablespoon, not the typical peanut butter 'scoop'!)

Still, recent research has shown that snacking on peanut butter is an effective way of controlling your hunger and keeping you satisfied between meals. According to studies, subjects were three times more likely to stick to a diet that included peanut butter (each meal in this plan contained some peanut butter, as did snacks), and were able to keep the weight off for over 18 months. Although peanut butter is high in fat, it is a heart-healthy kind called monounsaturated fat.

This fad diet 'sticks' in your mind thanks to its clever marketing campaign. But while peanut butter can be enjoyed in moderation or as a reward in your weight loss diet, it is simply not a key to rapid weight loss.