Grab a packet of peanuts at a baseball game and you'll do your body a lot of good. This snack can offer up several health benefits, but like most foods, it's far from perfect. Knowing how peanuts affect your health, in both good and bad ways, can help you make the right dietary choice. As with any dietary change, talk to your doctor if certain characteristics of this simple snack concern you.
Pros: General Nutrition
Enjoying peanuts as a snack or as an ingredient in a meal can help provide your body with a dose of general nutrients. In a single ounce of peanuts, you'll find approximately 7 g of muscle-building protein. The University of Nebraska also highlights peanuts as an "excellent" source of niacin and a rich provider of folate.
Pros: Source of Resveratrol
People who sip red wine for the beverage's health benefits drink it primarily for a phytochemical called resveratrol, which may help lower the risk of health problems such as cancer. While peanuts may not go with a fancy dinner the way that red wine does, this snack actually provides this important substance. "It is one of the major phytochemicals found in peanuts," Dr. Robert Keith, professor of nutrition and food sciences at Auburn University, told the Alabama Cooperative Extension.
Pros: Protects Against Heart Disease
In a 2008 analysis published in the "Journal of Nutrition," researchers from Pennsylvania State University analyzed four national studies and noted that consuming peanuts can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by up to 35 percent. Researchers attribute this protective effect in part to peanuts' micronutrients and phytochemicals like arginine. Peanuts also contain beneficial fats, such as polyunsaturated fat, which also helps boost heart health.
Pros: Source of Fiber
The average person needs 20 to 35 g of fiber every day, but most Americans do not get enough in their diet. Fiber can help with various aspects of health, including cholesterol reduction and improved digestion. Peanuts provide a rich source of fiber, netting you approximately 8 g in a 3 oz. serving.
Cons: Allergic Reactions
Allergy to peanuts is one of the most common food allergies in America. If you're allergic to peanuts, consuming them can provoke an array of reactions ranging from the mild to the deadly, including constriction of your breathing airways.
Cons: High in Calories and Fat
Eat too many peanuts and you may pack on the pounds. An ounce of this snack yields 170 calories, and other peanut products are similarly high in calories. For example, just one tablespoon of peanut butter yields 100 calories. Similarly, this snack hides a lot of fat: 14 g in an ounce, including 2 g of unhealthy saturated fat. For this reason, the Alabama Cooperative Extension recommends treating peanuts like red wine: Enjoy it in moderation.
References
- University of Nebraska: Nuts for Nutrition; Alice Henneman, R.D.; March 2004
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Peanuts: A Nutritional Powerhouse; November 2007
- Harvard Medical School: Eating Nuts Promotes Cardiovascular Health; May 2005
- "Journal of Nutrition"; The Role of Tree Nuts and Peanuts in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease; P.M. Kris-Etherton, et al.; September 2008
- University of Wisconsin: Fiber
- University of Cincinnati NetWellness: More Children with Peanut Allergies; January 2006
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