Boiled peanuts are raw peanuts which are boiled in salty water for several hours, ideally over an outdoor fire, explains WhatsCookingAmerica.net. In some cases, the peanuts are "green," meaning they were harvested from the ground just before cooking. The boiling process gives the peanut kernel a deeper, vegetable-like flavor. Boiled peanuts have a short shelf life, requiring refrigeration or freezing days after cooking, but they also offer multiple health benefits.
Antioxidants
Boiling peanuts transfers antioxidants from the shell and skin into the nut kernel, notes scientists from Alabama A&M University. Writing in the October 31, 2007 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists report that boiled peanuts contain up to four times more isoflavones than raw, oil- or dry-roasted varieties. Isoflavones are plant estrogens which may reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and coronary heart diseases.
Resveratrol
Boiled peanuts are a good source of resveratrol, states an April 1999 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Resveratrol is a chemical that has been associated with cancer cell inhibition and extended lifespan of cells in animal subjects. Scientists from the National Peanut Laboratory evaluated fresh, dry-roasted, and boiled peanuts before and after the nuts were pulverized into peanut butter. The boiled peanuts contained the highest amounts of resveratrol both before and after processing.
Nutrition
Boiled peanuts have great nutritional value within a 2,000-calorie diet, states Self Magazine Nutrition Data. A 1-cup serving of boiled peanuts contains 22 percent of your daily fiber requirements, as well as 17 percent of the body's daily protein needs, 13 percent of the vitamin E requirements, and 12 percent of the recommended daily allowance for folate. Moreover, 90 percent of the total fat content stems from heart-healthy poly- and mono-unsaturated fats.
References
- WhatsCookingAmerica.net: Boiled Peanuts
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Changes in the Phytochemical Composition and Profile of Raw, Boiled, and Roasted Peanuts; Y. Chukwumah, et al., Oct. 2007
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Trans-resveratrol Content in Commerical Peanut and Peanuts Products;VS Sobolev, RJ Cole; Apr. 1999
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Resveratrol
- Self Magazine Nutrition Data: Peanuts
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