When you think of peanut do you think of a food which is high in energy and will not be very good for maintaining weight or health? Well I am here to remove this misconception from your mind and to help you realise the true potential of this amazing food! Firstly, a fun fact to take to parties or the pub is peanuts are not actually a nut they are a legume and are grown underground. Peanuts not only have an extensive variety of health benefits but they taste great! Some of the nutrients found in peanuts include:
• Protein (50% of the weight of a peanut is protein!)
• Magnesium
• Phosphorous
• Potassium
• Folate
• Niacin
• B6
• Zinc
• Fibre
• Calcium
• Phytochemicals
• Thiamine
• Vitamin E
• Copper
• Iron
• Resveratrol
After reading this I hope that your mind is blown!!! An added bonus is the mighty peanut has absolutely no trans-fat or cholesterol which is good for your heart health. If you are asking what research says about peanuts, a study which was conducted over 14 years with 86 000 subjects reported that women who eat nuts 5 or more times a week are 35% less likely to develop heart disease.
To add to this clinical studies have supported eating peanuts to decrease the ‘bad’ cholesterol or the LDL-cholesterol and Triglycerides. Another study reported that the zinc in peanuts supports your brain function, improving attention, memory, and perception, and reasoning as well as motor skills! To add icing to the cake the risk of degenerative conditions and Alzheimer’s disease may also be reduced by including peanuts in your diet.
A third study which investigated the risk of developing type 2 diabetes found when people ate 30g of nuts (a small handful) a day they were less likely to develop type two diabetes by 25% and did not gain any extra weight compared to those who did not eat 30g of nuts. An added bonus is the composition of peanuts with the fibre and protein help you stay fuller for longer and can help you maintain a healthy weight as well as lose weight and keep this weight off.
Now that you have the facts of this mighty legume, I am sure you are wondering how you can include it in your diet, here are some ideas:
• Add to a trail mix
• Add whole peanuts or peanut butter to stir fry’s
• Mix crushed peanuts into salads on add onto yogurt
• Use peanut butter as a topping on wholegrain biscuits or onto carrot sticks celery of slices of apple.
• The classic peanut butter sandwich never goes out of fashion and you can get creative by adding a few sultanas.
Side note: select the no added salt or sugar varieties of peanuts and peanut butter to support a healthy you!
Take home message: Peanuts are a cheap food which can improve your health when eaten in moderation. This mighty legume has many nutrients to support the healthiest version of you. Peanuts deserves a standing ovation!
References:
1. Fraser et al. 1992. Arch of Internal Med 152: 1416-1424.
2. Prineas, R.J. et al. 1993. New England J Med. 329:359.
3. Hu, F.B. et al. 1998. British Medical Journal 317: 1341-1345.
4. Peland J. Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Centre, USDA, Grand Forks ND.
5. Dr. Jiang R, et al., Journal American Medical Association 2002; 288 (20)
6. McManus et al. Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
