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Peanuts nutrition facts

Delicious, crunchy and nutty peanuts are one of the popular oil seeds known to mankind since ancient times. The nuts are enriched with many noteworthy health benefiting nutrients that are essential for optimum health. They are actually legumes but have almost all the qualities that true nuts like almonds have.

The plant is a small annual herb, belonging to the family of fabaceae of the genus Arachis and botanically named as Arachis hypogaea. Some common names are groundnut, earthnuts etc.

Peanut kernels in a bowl	Peanut pods

Peanuts are believed to be originated in Central American region from where they spread to other parts of the world by Spanish explorers. Today, they are widely cultivated as an important oil seeds and a prime commercial crop in China, India, African nations and the United States of America.

After the seed has sown, the plant takes approximately 120 to 150 days to produce the crop.  The yellow flowers, after self-pollination, become "ovary", called pedicel, which elongates rapidly, and turns downward to bury the fruits several inches deep in the ground, where they develop into peanut pods we know.

While harvesting, the entire plant, including the roots, is removed from the soil to get the bunch of peanut pods. Exteriorly, the pods have wrinkled shells that are constricted between pairs of the two to four seeds per pod. The seeds are bi-lobed like any other legumes covered with brown colored paper-thin coat.

Health benefits of Peanuts

• Peanuts are rich in energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.

• They are especially, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acids that help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol". Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.

• These nuts are good source of dietary proteins with fine quality amino acids that are essential for growth and optimum health.

• Research studies show that peanuts contain high concentrations of poly-phenolic anti-oxidants, primarily in p-coumaric acid; which is believed to reduce the risk of stomach cancer by reducing the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.

• Peanuts contain as resveratrol, another polyphenol antioxidant, which has been found to have protective function against cancers, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer's disease and viral/fungal infections.

• Studies suggests that resveratrol reduces stroke risk by alteration of molecular mechanisms in 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.

• These nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E, alpha tocopherol; contain 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.

• Peanuts 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 a day provides enough recommended levels of phenolic anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins and protein.

Selection and storage

Peanuts are available in the markets year around. In the store, different forms are available like shelled, unshelled, salted, sweetened etc. Try to buy whole “in shelled” or “with shelled” nuts instead of processed ones. They are generally available in the airtight packs as well as in bulk bins.  The pods should feature compact, off white color, healthy looking shell and uniform in size, and feel heavy in hand. They should be free from cracks, mold, and spots and free of rancid smell. 

Unshelled or with shell peanuts can be placed in cool dry place for many months, whereas shelled (without the shell) nuts should be placed inside airtight container and kept in the refrigerator to avoid them turn rancid.

Culinary use

• Peanut is usually eaten on its own, by cracking them with firm pressure between fingers or using nut cracker machine. The nuts can also be enjoyed by roasting, salted or sweetened.

• They are nutty, yet pleasantly sweet in taste. Roasting enhances the taste, antioxidants levels like p-coumaric acid and helps remove toxic aflatoxin.

• "Peanut butter" is a food paste made from ground roasted nuts, with or without added oil. It is popular throughout the world and is mainly used is as a sandwich spread. Peanut-milk is also a popular lactose-free milk-like healthy drink.

• Peanut oil is another healthy source of edible cooking oil like soy or olive oils. Widely used for cooking purposes for its aromatic flavor, especially in many South Indian states and Sri Lanka.

• Roasted and crushed nuts often sprinkled over salads, desserts, particularly sundaes and other ice cream based preparations.

• Peanut “chutney” or paste, made from peanuts, chili peppers, salt, coriander leaves, garlic and mustard seeds, is a popular preparation among south Indian, Sri Lanka region.

• Roasted and split nuts are a great addition onto tossed salads.

Safety profile

Peanut allergy is a type of hypersensitivity response in some people to food substances prepared using these nuts. The resultant over-reaction of the immune system may lead to severe physical symptoms like vomiting, pain abdomen, swelling of lips and throat leading to breathing difficulty, chest congestion and death. It is, therefore, advised to avoid any food preparations that contain peanut products in these individuals.

Peanuts are one of the crops that are susceptible to fungal (mold) infection, especially by aflatoxin producing member aspergillus flavus. Aflatoxin is a very powerful and dangerous known carcinogen that may cause liver cirrhosis and cancer. Roasting helps to reduce the toxin levels in these nuts and thus offers some protection against aflatoxin. (Disclaimer)

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