Known to most as a nut, a peanut is really a legume—packed with lots of health benefits.
With all the ongoing debate about healthy school lunches, I can’t help but think back to my childhood. My nose still stings when I remember that pungent aroma (awful to me, but perhaps inviting to others) and the heaps of steaming, mass-produced slop (unappealing to me, but perhaps scrumptious to others) that appeared daily in the cafeteria. “You’re so picky,” my friends chided me, as I bypassed the lines and made a beeline for our table, lunch box in tow. “You’re so boring,” my friends joked as they watched me unwrap yet another peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Peanuts and I parted ways for a few years when I was in my 30s, struggling to lose the 40 pounds I put on with each pregnancy. Back then, I thought of anything that contained calories and fat as the enemy. But once I finally lost the weight and started feeding my two boys peanut butter, I couldn’t resist the occasional finger-in-the-jar swipe. It brought me a certain comfort I hadn’t had in years (and the weight didn’t come back to haunt me).
Since then, we’re friends again, the peanut and I. How did I tackle the high-fat content and calories? Moderation, of course. That’s easy to do, since it doesn’t take a lot to satisfy; peanuts’ fat and fiber content makes them very filling. And their fat—mostly of the monosaturated kind—is heart-healthy fat (not a reason to eat a LOT of it; just a reason to feel OK about eating it at all).
I say it’s a good thing peanuts are back in my life, because there are so many health benefits associated with eating them:
Protein and fiber. Peanuts improve satiety and help maintain weight loss. Several studies have found that eating small amounts of nuts helps dieters lose weight; when nuts were allowed in their eating plans, they did not feel deprived.
Nutrients. Peanuts are abundant in the vitamins niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, choline, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E and rich in minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese and selenium.
Disease control. Studies have found eating peanuts five times a week decreased heart disease and reduced the risk of diabetes, gallbladder disease and colorectal cancer. Peanuts and peanut butter are included on the DASH diet eating plan, which helps lower blood pressure.
Antiaging. Peanuts have been found to contain the potent antiaging molecule resveratrol, the same phytochemical found in red wine and grapes. Studies have shown that resveratrol can fight the proliferation of fat cells and improve the uptake of sugar from the blood. The resveratrol in peanuts is found in the seed itself and the skin.
Cholesterol. When postmenopausal women with high cholesterol were fed a low-fat diet that included healthy fats from peanuts, their cholesterol improved. The phytosterols that peanuts contain have been shown to reduce cholesterol.
Another interesting tidbit: The health benefits are not limited to just the peanut itself. Peanut oil and fat-free peanut flour have been shown, in hamster studies, to significantly lower cholesterol and have heart-protective effects.
The health benefits of eating peanuts will blow your mind
According to recent studies, the skins have an abundant amount of natural antioxidants and a high content of dietary fiber.
Unknown to many people, groundnut is one of the best sources of protein. It is also very beneficial when it comes to matters of health.
Although they are high in fat, it can be said to be the good kind of fat as it is a monounsaturated fat.
Groundnut, which is also known as peanut or pignut, contains magnesium; foliate, vitamin E, copper, and arginine: They are believed to lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease.
And according to recent studies, the skins have an abundant amount of natural antioxidants and a high content of dietary fiber. This is with regard to the different types, be it light-roasted or dark-roasted.
Here are some of the mind-blowing health benefits of groundnut
1. It is rich in antioxidant
Groundnut skins are rich in phenolic compounds, which go to say that they are antioxidant rich. Antioxidants, on the hand, help p protect the body from oxidative stress, which occurs in cases of various cancers and diseases.
They are powerful substances, which prohibit (and in some cases even prevent), the oxidation of other molecules in the body.
According to a 2012 study from North Carolina University, published in the “Journal of Food Science,” it was reported that adding a 5 percent concentration of peanut (groundnut) skins to peanut butter significantly increased its antioxidant levels without sacrificing taste or texture.
2. Heart-healthy fats
As earlier stated, groundnut contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that keep the heart healthy.
And this is great for the great for the healthy condition of the heart because a good level, of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, help to lower blood cholesterol levels as well as reducing the risk of coronary heart diseases.
3. It is a high source protein
When it comes to the healthiness of our cells, protein is essential. And this is because the cells in our body are constantly being replaced and repaired and to ensure that the new cells are healthy, and the damaged ones repaired well, the need for protein cannot be overemphasized.
Groundnuts have been shown to be an extremely high source of plant protein and medical practitioners have advised that it should be incorporated in the diet for children, vegetarians, and protein deficient people.
4. Groundnut is a rich source of minerals
As stated in the introduction, groundnut is a rich source of minerals. And some of these minerals include magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calcium, sodium, etc.
These minerals are needed by our body to function well.
It is, however, important to note that adequate supply of these minerals ensure a healthy heart as well as minimizing the risk of mineral deficient diseases.
5. It is rich in vitamins
It is a well-known fact that when it comes to overall growth and development, the importance of vitamins cannot be overemphasized.
Vitamins do not only ensure vital health for cells and tissues, they also helps in fighting infections; thereby ensuring smooth functioning of our organs.
Groundnut provides our body with essential vitamins, which helps in regulating metabolism, converting fat and carbohydrates into energy, and facilitating bone and tissue formation.
And being a rich source of foliate, studies have shown that it reduces the incidence of birth defects and anaemia related conditions.
