When I used to eat unhealthy, I had a lot of crazy ideas about nutrition. I thought all fat was always bad. I had no idea what partially hydrogenated oils were. Now I know that some fats are very good for the body, we need healthy fat in our diet. I also know that there is no safe level of transfat. Most commercial peanut butters use partially hydrogenated oil to stabalize peanut butter (so it doesn't separate into solid/liquid).
For these reasons, I would definitely only eat natural peanut butter (the ingredients in my Trader Joe's peanut butter are peanuts and salt). I eat very clean and I use natural peanut butter as a decent source of healthy fat (almond butter would be good too). As far as "who needs the oil?" well, I do. My goal is to have at least 30% of my daily calories come from healthy fat sources, it is a challenge some days and natural peanut butter is a good way to reach that goal (along with cooking with olive oil/canola oil, avocado, salmon, etc).
To me, there is no difference between the foods I eat while I was losing weight and the foods I eat to maintain weight. I don't eat "diet" foods. I also try to avoid as much "fake" foods as possible - chemicals, fake sugars, etc etc.
Quote:
(Even it's even possible to still lose weight and eat it LOL).
2 pieces of whole grain toast and 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter is my favorite breakfast, I ate it while I was losing weight and I eat it almost every day now that I'm maintaining. Eating healthy, clean foods and counting calories helped me to lose weight successfully, now it helps me maintain successfully. I love peanut butter, I need healthy fat, I just stay within my daily goals. Nothing nutritious is offlimits to me.