What are the health benefits of peanuts?

Peanuts are one of the healthiest nuts that are mostly grown in the tropics and subtropics. However, peanuts are not considered tree nuts; they are legumes that have a similar taste and nutrition profile to tree nuts like walnuts or almonds.

Peanuts are rich in protein, healthy fat, and other healthy nutrients. That’s why they have many benefits to the body.

In this post, we are going to learn more about the health benefits of peanuts.

6 health benefits of peanuts

• Improves heart health
  Although peanuts are considered as one of the fattiest nuts, most of its fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are considered healthy fats. These fats also have benefits to the body. They can improve cholesterol levels, and as a result, lower the risk of heart diseases. Moreover, peanuts contain other heart-healthy nutrients, such as magnesium, niacin, copper, and multiple antioxidants.

• Helps with weight loss
  Nuts have an important role in weight loss programs. Although peanuts are high in calories, they don’t lead to weight gain; because the high content of protein and monounsaturated fat in peanuts can help the body burn calorie. Moreover, peanuts are rich in dietary fiber, which can make you feel full for a longer time, and also help the digestive system to break down the foods you eat.

Therefore, you won’t feel the craving of eating unhealthy snacks from time to time. Following a healthy diet can help you lose weight in a short period.

• Protects body against gallstones
  Gallstones are usually made up of cholesterol or bilirubin, which may form small particles that clog gallbladder. Generally, some people are more prone to this condition, for example, people over 40, the ones who are overweight or individuals who have a high calories and carbohydrates diet.
  Besides taking care of the diet, people can prevent this problem by eating an adequate number of peanuts. Scientists found that consuming peanuts can reduce the risk of gallstones by 25%. The main reason might be the cholesterol-lowering effect that peanuts have.
• Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s
  Peanuts contain copper, which is necessary for energy production and neural activity. Copper helps the brain to speed neural transmission. Moreover, peanuts are rich in antioxidants, which can prevent the damage of free radicals on cells. Antioxidants can prevent brain cells from aging and also help the brain to function better. As a result, consuming peanuts can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s or any other diseases that may occur as a result of oxidative stress at the old ages.
• Lowers the risk of cancer
  Antioxidants can prevent the damage of free radicals on the cells. Excessive free radicals may form cancerous cells. This means, eating the foods with a high level of antioxidants can lower the risk of cancer. Peanut is a potent source of antioxidants, such as vitamin E and P-Coumaric acid.
• Great source of biotin
  Peanuts are one of the excellent sources of biotin, which is also known as vitamin B complex. Biotin is one of the important vitamins during pregnancy. Having enough amount of biotin in the body during pregnancy can decrease the risk of congenital birth defects. It is also recommended for all adults to get 30 micrograms of biotin per day. Every 28 grams of peanuts contain almost 5 mcg of biotin, which is 17% of the daily value your body needs. Additionally, biotin can be beneficial for the treatment of diabetes or some brain conditions.

Peanut Allergy

Nut allergies are so common among people. However, the most allergic nut is the peanut. At least 1% of people are allergic to peanuts, and this allergy can be life-threatening. Peanut allergy mostly occurs because of the high amount of plant protein it contains.

Sometimes the immune system considers this protein an infection and starts to fight with it. This overreaction can cause a serious response, which may appear as runny nose, skin rash, itchy eyes, hives, swelling in lips or tongue, and in the more severe way, it may clog airways and cause anaphylaxis. In this case, the person should go to a hospital or call for medical treatments.

How many peanuts can I eat in a day?

Even if you are not allergic to peanuts, you should be careful about the number of peanuts or any other nuts you eat in a day. Consuming too many peanuts may lead to affiliation poisoning, which shows up by appetite and yellow discolouration of the eyes.

Moreover, since the protein and calories in peanuts are high, it’s always recommended to take care of the other nuts you eat alongside this nut. Generally, consuming a handful of peanuts (equal to 1 ounce or 28 grams) is harmless in a day.

How to consume peanuts?

Peanuts can be consumed raw, roasted, salted, unsalted, and cooked. That depends on you. However, you can find many great recipes with this extraordinary nut.

Peanuts Nutrition Facts (28 grams)

Peanut calories	161
Protein	7g
Monounsaturated fat	7g
Polyunsaturated fat	4.4 g
Sodium	5.1 mg
Potassium	199.9 mg
Carbohydrates	4.6 g
Calcium	2%
Iron	7%
Vitamin B6	5%
Magnesium	11%

Bottom Line

Peanuts are so healthy and have many benefits to the body. Their soft texture and creamy flavour make them so popular.

However, people should be careful of the number of peanuts they consume daily and make sure they are not allergic to this nut. It’s so easy to add peanuts to your diet, whether you want to lose weight or just follow a healthier diet.