Peanut health

Peanut butter provides protection against cardiovascular disease due to high levels of monounsaturated fats and Resveratrol. An excellent source of protein, and vitamins B3 and E, peanuts also contain magnesium, folate, dietary fiber and arginine. Peanuts also contain high levels of an antioxidant called p-coumaric acid.

Health Benefits of Peanuts & Peanut Butter

The peanut, Arachis hypogea, is really a legume - same as a bean or pea. The plants are grown as an annual crop and look like a rather robust clover plant. The nuts originate from the stems, but are pushed into the ground by the plant at an early stage, and it is underground that they mature.

The species originates from semi-arid areas of Brazil. It was domesticated by the ancestors of the the present Arawak Indian people at least 5,000 years ago, and probably much longer than that. It was spread to Asia by the Spanish, and to Africa and then India by the Portuguese. It was introduced to the USA from Africa.

In 1903, George Washington Carver began his peanut research at Tuskeegee. Dr. Carver developed more than 300 uses for peanuts and improved peanut horticulture tremendously.

India, tropical Africa, and China are the leading peanut producing countries. The round 'Spanish' peanut has a full rich taste, and is usually used for roasting. The 'Virginia' peanut is larger and oblong, and is commonly sold in-shell. It has a more 'nutty' flavor. The most common commercial variety is the redskin 'jumbo runner'.

Whole peanuts are a very important human food. Peanuts are very high in protein ( 25 grams per 100 gram serving) of good quality. They are a very good source of energy, with 50 grams of fats and 16 grams of carbohydrates per 100 gram serving. About half their fat content is monounsaturated fats, about a third are polyunsaturated, and the remaining about fifth are saturated. Of the polyunsaturates, only a passing small amount is omega - 3.
 

Peanuts are a very good source of niacin (B3), with a healthy 112 mg/100 gram serving. Niacin, also called nicotinic acid, is the most effective medication for raising HDL "good" cholesterol, leading to increases of 20 percent to 35 percent. Peanuts also contain vitamin E (8mg/100gms). Nuts in general, and peanuts in particular, are high in the bioflavonoid 'resveratrol'. This bioflavonoid is also found in red wine and is believed to help prevent the formation of arterial plaques. Peanuts have more resveratrol than grapes. Studies adding even small amounts of 'peanut products' to the diet have recorded a 14% reduction in the 'bad' LDL cholesterol. One ounce, or one small handful of peanuts contains 2 big grams of fiber. This is 9% of the fiber you need each day!

Researchers at Purdue University studied the effects of chronic peanut consumption on well-known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. One of the principle investigators, Dr. Richard Mattes, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, says, "We wanted to determine the impact of peanut consumption on total diet quality. We found that including peanuts in the diet significantly increased magnesium, folate, fiber, copper, vitamin E, and arginine consumption, all of which play a role in the prevention of heart disease." These findings are consistent with several clinical and epidemiological studies, such as the Nurses Health Study, that show that people who consume about one ounce of peanuts, nuts and peanut butter per day improve blood lipid levels and decrease risk of cardiovascular disease.

Peanuts contain the same amount of beneficial chemicals as strawberries. University of Florida researchers report that peanuts are rich in antioxidants which protect cells from damage linked to heart disease and cancer. Peanuts also contain high levels of protein and "good" monounsaturated fat.

The researchers tested the antioxidant content of a dozen different varieties of peanuts. Antioxidants are the naturally occurring substances in plants that protect the body from free radicals - 'volatile' chemicals in the blood. Although free radicals do play an important role in the immune system, they also alter cholesterol in a process known as oxidation, which is thought to speed up the hardening of the arteries.

They found peanuts contain high levels of polyphenols, a family of chemicals commonly found in foods, which have strong antioxidant properties. The nuts contain a high level of one particular polyphenol called p-coumaric acid. The researchers discovered that roasting peanuts can increase the level of the acid in nuts, thereby increasing their overall antioxidant content by up to 22%.

Steve Talcott of the University of Florida, who led the research, said: "When it comes to antioxidant content, peanuts are right up there with strawberries. We expected a fairly high antioxidant content in peanuts, but we were a bit shocked to find that they're as rich in antioxidants as many kinds of fruit." He added: "Compared to foods long-considered rich in antioxidants, mostly fruits and berries, peanuts come out somewhere in the middle." The team are now looking at the possibility of specifically breeding peanuts high in antioxidants.