Peanut butter is a staple of school lunches and is found in everything from pad thai to peanut butter cookies, and is on pantry shelves in most households. Aside from being essential to many recipes, there is nutritional power behind all of that flavor.

Peanut butter can be a healthy addition to most diets when eaten in moderation. It is an ancient food that can be traced to the Incas and Aztecs. Modern peanut butter is attributed to Marcellus Gilmore Edson, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, and Dr. Ambrose Straub.

Anyone with an allergy to peanuts must avoid peanut butter, but most people can eat it on a regular basis. The healthiest form of peanut butter is one with no added ingredients, and in which peanuts are roasted and processed into a paste. However, commercial brands of peanut butter may be modified with vegetable oils, sugar, and trans fats. Choosing peanut butter containing just peanuts and a small amount of salt is best, says Healthline. This can be found in many natural food stores or made at home.

WebMD says two tablespoons of peanut butter contains eight grams of protein, seven grams of carbohydrates, three grams of fiber, 190 calories, and 16 grams of fat. However, the fat in peanut butter is heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat. It’s easy to go overboard on peanut butter and consume too many calories since it is calorie-dense, so sticking to a serving or two is best.

Peanut butter also is a good source of vitamin E, niacin, manganese, vitamin B6, magnesium, and copper. Copper is a mineral that helps maintain bone health, immune function, and blood vessels. Some research suggests that getting enough copper could be linked to a reduced risk for osteoporosis and heart disease.

Peanut butter fits into most diets because it is gluten-free and also vegan when enjoyed in its natural form. While it may not be as nutritious as some other foods when compared calorie for calorie, peanut butter generally can be included as a delicious component of a well-balanced diet.

Here’s how to make peanut butter at home, courtesy of the food blog Love & Lemons.

  1. Add salted dry roasted peanuts to the bowl of a food processor. The amount of peanuts you add will be relative to the size of the processor. For example, use three cups of peanuts in a seven-cup food processor.
  2. Let the food processor run for a few minutes to get the peanuts chopping. Then continue to process, stopping every 30 to 60 seconds to scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the motor a rest; otherwise, it can overheat.
  3. It can take up to 10 minutes for the food processor to turn the peanuts from chopped, to a shaggy ball, to the smooth and spreadable peanut butter many people prefer. This peanut butter can be stored in a sealed container for up to one month.