Calories in Wheat Toast With Peanut Butter

Many people enjoy having peanut butter toast for breakfast, but how many calories does it provide? Get the scoop on the nutritional benefits of peanut butter toast and find out the right portion size to reach your weight goals.

It's important to be mindful of portion sizes when looking at peanut butter toast calories. Although peanut butter is rich protein and healthy fats, it also packs a lot of calories in a small amount.

According to the USDA, 2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter supply 188 calories and 15.9 grams of fat. For those who prefer chunky peanut butter, the calorie count is the same as for the smooth version. You can find reduced-fat options, which have a similar calorie count as the regular version — 187 calories per 2 tablespoons. However, the fat count is decreased to 12 grams.

Other nut butters have slightly more calories. Therefore, unless you are allergic to peanuts, it might be best to stick with peanut butter. The USDA reports that 2 tablespoons of almond butter boast 196 calories, while the same amount of sunflower seed butter has 197.4 calories.

What about the calorie count of the bread? On average, one slice of wheat toast has 77 calories. While white toast boasts the same calorie count, it doesn't have as much nutrition. For instance, whole-wheat bread has double the fiber of white bread, which helps increase satiety and prevents snacking later on.

In total, peanut butter toast (two slices of whole-wheat bread and two tablespoons of peanut butter) has 342 calories. You can decrease that calorie count by eating just one slice of bread and/or only 1 tablespoon of peanut butter instead of the full serving.

Read more: 7 Healthy Peanut Butter Brands

Many people enjoy having peanut butter toast for breakfast, but it is healthy? According to Harvard Health Publishing, this delicious snack has many nutrients that make it a healthy choice. For one, it's a great protein source, with 15.1 grams of protein per serving. It's also a good source of fiber and potassium. For those who are watching their salt or sodium intake, unsalted peanut butter has just 5 milligrams of sodium.

Reduced-fat peanut butter is lower in saturated fat (compared to the regular version) but higher in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (the good fat), which may help lower the risk of heart disease and reduce LDL (the "bad") cholesterol.

On top of that, eating peanut butter toast for breakfast could help you lose weight. A study published in the May 2015 issue of the Journal of Applied Research on Children found that kids who ate peanut butter or peanuts three times a week had a lower body mass index after 12 weeks, versus those who consumed these snacks once a week or less often. Researchers suggest that peanut butter keeps you full longer, so you are less likely to binge or snack.

Peanut butter toast makes a great breakfast option as it contains protein and healthy fats, as well as whole grains from the bread. A June 2016 meta-analysis in Circulation has linked consumption of whole grains to lower rates of heart disease mortality and all-cause mortality. Researchers recommend eating at least three servings of whole grains per week to reap the benefits. Keep in mind that one slice of whole-wheat bread equals one serving of whole grains.

Read more: 9 Simple and Satisfying Peanut Butter Snacks

Make sure you read the labels when buying bread and look for ingredients like brown rice, oatmeal and barley, suggests Harvard Health Publishing. Ideally, choose bread varieties that say "100 percent whole grain" to ensure you're getting the most nutrition. Check the labels when buying peanut butter as well and pick those labeled "natural," as they contain less sugar and fewer processed ingredients.

If you need to sweeten up your peanut butter toast, consider adding a drizzle of honey or a dab of jelly. Just keep those extra ingredients in mind when calculating your total calories.