Peanut nutrition in Sweet'n Spicy Healthy Eats Peanut Chili raw coconut cookies

Peanut Power

With peanut allergies on the rise, more and more people are steering clear of these nuts altogether. There’s no arguing that peanut allergies can be extremely serious, and if you are allergic, you should certainly stay away from them. But if you’re not, you may want to take a second look at peanuts.

They’re a great source of protein. And they’re also extraordinarily high in polyphenols — the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the antioxidant family. Yes, peanuts are high in fat. But now we know that, like avocados, they are high in the “good” kind — monounsaturated fat. They also contain magnesium, folate, vitamin E, copper, arginine, and fiber — all of which are known to lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Another one of peanuts’ virtues is that they contain high amounts of resveratrol. Studies have shown that resveratrol can inhibit the growth of colorectal tumor cells. Since the other primary source for this compound is red wine, it’s a challenge for people who don’t drink alcohol to get enough: Peanuts to the rescue!

Roasting actually increases the antioxidant content in peanuts by up to 22 percent. Since most people prefer roasted nuts, this is a great discovery.

Here are some tips for getting as much benefit as possible from peanuts:

• Instead of eating peanuts doused with too much salt, combine the roasted, unsalted variety with dried fruits for a tasty snack that is also packed full of polyphenols and other antioxidants.
• Make sure you buy natural peanut butter that doesn’t contain added sugar. Look for brands made from roasted, organic peanuts, since conventionally grown peanuts tend to have high pesticide content.
• And if you’d like to indulge your inner child who still yearns for an occasional PB&J, try natural peanut butter with sliced banana and drizzled with some honey. Believe me, you won’t miss the jelly (or the refined sugar it contains) one bit.

• Peanuts Rival Fruit as a Source of Antioxidants

• Not only do peanuts contain oleic acid, the healthful fat found in olive oil, but new research shows these tasty legumes are also as rich in antioxidants as many fruits.
  While unable to boast an antioxidant content that can compare with the fruits highest in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, roasted peanuts do rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries, and are far richer in antioxidants than apples, carrots or beets. Research conducted by a team of University of Florida scientists, published in the journal Food Chemistry, shows that peanuts contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid, and that roasting can increase peanuts' p-coumaric acid levels, boosting their overall antioxidant content by as much as 22%.
  
  

  Health benefits of Peanuts

  • Peanuts are rich in energy and contain health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.
  • They compose sufficient levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids especially oleic acid. It helps to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol” level in the blood. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids help to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
  • These nuts are a good source of dietary protein compose fine quality amino acids that are essential for growth and development.
  • Research studies have shown that peanuts contain high concentrations of poly-phenolic antioxidants, primarily p-coumaric acid. This compound has been thought to reduce the risk of stomach cancer by limiting the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in the stomach.
  • Peanuts are an excellent source of resveratrol, another polyphenolic antioxidant. Resveratrol has been found to have protective function against cancers, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer's disease, and viral/fungal infections.
  • Furthermore, studies suggest that resveratrol reduce stroke risk by altering molecular mechanisms in the blood vessels (reducing susceptibility to vascular damage through decreased activity of angiotensin, a systemic hormone causing blood vessel constriction that would elevate blood pressure), and by increasing production of the vasodilator hormone, nitric oxide.
  • Recent research studies suggest that boiling enhances antioxidant concentration in the peanuts. It has been found that boiled peanuts have two and four-fold increase in isoflavone antioxidants biochanin-Aand genistein content, respectively. (Journal of agricultural and food chemistry).
  • The nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E (a-tocopherol); containing about 8 g per100 g. vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant which helps maintain the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen free radicals.
  • The nuts are packed with many important B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates. 100 g of peanuts provide about 85% of RDI of niacin, which contribute to brain health and blood flow to brain.
  • The nuts are rich source of minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
  Just a hand full of peanuts per day provides enough recommended levels of phenolic anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins, and protein.

• History

• Peanuts originated in South America where they have existed for thousands of years. They played an important role in the diet of the Aztecs and other Native Indians in South America and Mexico.
  The Spanish and Portuguese explorers who found peanuts growing in the New World brought them on their voyages to Africa. They flourished in many African countries and were incorporated into local traditional food cultures. Since they were revered as a sacred food, they were placed aboard African boats traveling to North America during the beginning of the slave trade, which is how they were first introduced into this region.
  In the 19th century, peanuts experienced a great gain in popularity in the U.S. thanks to the efforts of two specific people. The first was George Washington Carver, who not only suggested that farmers plant peanuts to replace their cotton fields that were destroyed by the boll weevil following the Civil War, but also invented more than 300 uses for this legume. At the end of the 19th century, a physician practicing in St. Louis, Missouri, created a ground up paste made from peanuts and prescribed this nutritious high protein, low carbohydrate food to his patients. While he may not have actually "invented" peanut butter since peanut paste had probably used by many cultures for centuries, his new discovery quickly caught on and became, and still remains, a very popular food

  Peanuts and Aflatoxin

  Peanuts are susceptible to molds and fungal invasions. Of particular concern is aflatoxin, a poison produced by a fungus called Aspergillus flavus. Although better storage and handling methods have virtually eliminated the risk of aflatoxin ingestion, aflatoxin is a known carcinogen that is twenty times more toxic than DDT and has also been linked to mental retardation and lowered intelligence. To help prevent aflatoxin ingestion, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also enforces a ruling that 20 parts per billion is the maximum of aflatoxin permitted in all foods and animal foods, including peanut butter and other peanut products. If purchasing raw peanuts, it is still wise to ensure that the peanuts have been stored in a dry, cool environment (the fungus grows when the temperature is between 86-96°F (30-36°C) and when the humidity is high). Roasted peanuts are thought to offer more protection against aflatoxin, plus roasting is also thought to improve peanuts' digestibility.

  What causes a peanut allergy?

  An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system overreacts and releases chemicals, including histamine, into your blood. These chemicals can affect different tissues in the body, such as the skin, eyes, nose, airways, intestinal tract,lungs, and blood vessels. It's not clear why peanuts trigger this response in some people.

  What are the symptoms?

  Symptoms of peanut allergy can range from mild to life-threatening. If you have a mild reaction, you may get a stomachache, a runny nose, an itchy skin rash, hives, or tingling in your lips or tongue. If your reaction is worse, you may develop additional symptoms such as a tight throat, hoarse voice, wheezing, coughing, feeling sick to your stomach, vomiting, belly pain, and diarrhea. Your symptoms may start from within a few minutes to a few hours after eating peanuts or peanut products.
  People who are allergic to peanuts may have a life-threatening reaction calledanaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include problems breathing and swallowing, vomiting and diarrhea, dizziness, dangerously low blood pressure, swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, and other parts of the body, and loss of consciousness. If not treated, death can result. Anaphylaxis usually occurs within minutes but can occur up to several hours after eating peanuts or peanut products.