SIMPLE, HEALTHY SNACK – Peanuts

My favorite way to enjoy peanuts is dry roasted with or without the shell and skin, with no added salt or oil. Roasting enhances its taste and actually improves the antioxidant content of peanuts. In fact, boiling and dry roasting tends to reduce the calorie count of peanuts.

Bought this 1/4 kilo for only P40.00 in the Market (Palengke)

Peanuts are great as snack food, they’re inexpensive, easy to store and pack when you’re on the go. They have been shown to keep you satisfied so you naturally reduce eating extra calories throughout the day and do not crave empty calories. When you eat a handful of peanuts each day, you are feeding your body a rich source of plant protein, fiber and nutrients that are thought to contribute to keeping you satisfied, helping to keep calories in check and manage weight.

Do you know that eating peanut is a good way to eat enough protein and protect yourself from chronic diseases. Actually, according to the study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, eating a handful of peanuts daily may lower your risk of developing heart disease.

Peanuts are also high in vitamin E and folate, other vitamins in peanuts include thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, choline and betaine. Minerals in, NutritiousSnacks peanuts include manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, selenium and zinc. Raw peanuts only contain 5 milligrams of sodium, but this level can be significantly higher in peanuts cooked with salt (from the article in Livestrong.com).

HEALTH BENEFITS OF PEANUTS

Despite their name, peanuts are not actually nuts, they are legumes. In most culinary uses, peanuts are classified as nuts because they behave more like nuts in the kitchen than other legumes, such as lentils and beans. According to the website seedguides.com, we get the following benefits from peanuts.

Heart Healthy Fats:  Peanuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that keep the heart healthy.  A good level of both results in lowering blood cholesterol leels and thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart diseases.

Proteins:  Protein is essential to the health of our cells.  The cells in our body are constantly being replaced and repaired.  To ensure that the new cells are healthy, and the damaged ones are repaired well, we need protein.  Peanutes are an extremely high source of plant protein.  It should be regularly incorporated in diet for children,vegetarian and protein deficient people.

Antioxidants : Peanuts contain high concentrations of the antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid and oleic acid, that not only protect the heart but inhibit the growth of free radicals, keeping infection at bay.

Minerals : A rich source of minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calciu, sodium, etc., so needed by our body to function well, is ensured by a regular consumption of peanuts.  Adequare supply of these mineals ensure a healthy heart, and ensure minimized risk of mineral deficient diseases.

Vitamins : Vitamins are important for overall growth and development.  Vitamins ensure vital health for cells and tissues, and for fighting infections, etc, that in return ensure smooth functioning of our organs.  Peanuts provide our body with essential vitamins, that also help in regulating metabolism, converting fat and carbohydrates into energy, and facilitating bone and tissue formation.  A good source of folate, peanuts reduce the incidence of birth defects, and anemia related conditions.

But there seem to be benefits from eating peanut skins as well. Not only are they high in fiber, but they contain reservatrol, the same antioxidant that red wine is famous for, which is also an antimicrobial, and which in lab tests has been shown to lower blood sugar and may be an important weapon in the fight against cancer.