Health Benefits of Peanuts
Before we start to discuss the health benefits of peanuts, want to share an interesting fact about peanuts. To our surprise, peanuts are neither a type of Pea nor Nuts technically plant-based. They belong to the Legume family. But their nutritional profile is the same as other tree nuts, which makes them a part of the Nuts family.
Confusing right? Don’t worry! Continue to read below, and you will know some more amazing facts that will change the way you snack!
Peanuts Nutritional Value:
Peanuts, despite not being technically classified as nuts, have a nutritional profile similar to other tree nuts. They are rich in healthy fats, fiber, and plant-based protein, making them a valuable addition to any diet. With almost 567 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), peanuts are low in carbs and nutrient-dense.
In addition to their culinary use, they offer a range of health benefits.
Confusing right? Don’t worry! Continue to read below, and you will know some more amazing facts that will change the way you snack!
Excellent Source of Necessary Minerals and Vitamins
Peanuts are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals for the overall proper functioning of the human body. The benefits of vitamins and minerals present in peanuts include:
- Biotin-Peanuts are one of the rich dietary sources of biotin, which is an extremely beneficial nutrient for your physiological well-being. Biotin is important during pregnancy and involves dozens of enzymatic reactions in the body that regulate the expression of your genes.
- Niacin– also known as vitamin B3, has various important functions in your body as it helps convert food into energy and helps with healthy skin. Niacin also aids the digestive and nervous systems and has been found effective in reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Phosphorus is a mineral that plays an essential role in the growth and maintenance of the human body tissues, in the formation of teeth and bones and muscle function. It promotes cell growth as well as helps the body use vitamins to create energy for the cells.
- Magnesium-An essential dietary mineral responsible for various important muscle functions, including the heart, enzyme function, and energy production. Just 100 grams of raw peanuts can provide sufficient magnesium intake that is believed to protect against heart diseases.
Following are the major Health Benefits of Peanuts
Considering the nutritional values of peanuts, one can get the idea of how beneficial just 100g of these tiny, mouth-watering nuts can be. Having a significant amount of proteins, antioxidants, and fatty acids, peanuts have an extraordinary quality of promoting your health.
Here are a few health benefits of pea-sized legume peanuts and their nutrients, which will make you fall in love with them.
1) Peanuts for Muscles
Peanut contains Vitamin B-complex that supports your muscle health and helps prevent muscle spasms and cramps. Those who want muscle gain can eat peanuts which will increase metabolism and help with healthy muscle development.
Ample protein is required for muscle development. Being a rich source of plant protein, peanuts can strengthen the bones and helps in bodybuilding. Adding a tablespoon of peanut butter to your shake will give you all the nutritional benefits your muscles need.
2) Healthy Fats
Peanuts consist of all the healthful types of fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which are an essential part of every diet. These healthy fats are responsible for improving blood cholesterol levels in the human body. A large number of peanuts are used to make peanut oil due to their healthy fat content, which makes them classified as oilseeds.
A small amount of saturated fat is also available in peanuts which are considered less healthy as compared to the other two unsaturated fat types. So for optimal health benefits, it is better to at peanuts in moderation.
3) Dietary Fibre
The fiber in your diet helps you feel full for a long while and aids indigestion. Per 100g of Peanuts contain 8.5 g of fiber. The human body requires almost 34 grams of fiber in men and 28 grams in females. Considering these values, peanuts provide one-quarter of optimal intake in men and one-third of fiber intake in females.
Hence taking peanuts can fulfill your dietary fiber intake that can help promote bowel movements, helps control blood sugar levels, and lowers the risk of type-II diabetes.
4) Source of Protein
Peanuts are an excellent source of plant-based protein, in which the most abundant proteins include reaching and contracting. 100 grams of peanuts are said to offer 25.8 g of protein, which makes it half of a person’s daily intake need of protein i-e 46grams for women and 56 grams for men.
The protein we consume helps build our muscles, and for this need, peanut powder, naturally gluten-free, defatted flour made from peanuts, is getting popular among bodybuilders and athletes. Peanut powders that contain only peanuts, no fillers, or other ingredients deliver nutrients that support overall health.
So, if you desire to take protein that delivers desired nutrients you need, try adding peanut powders to your diet that contain approximately a half gram of leucine per serving. Leucine is an amino acid that activates muscle building and helps repair as well as stimulates the synthesis of new proteins in muscles. Peanut butter is also a good option for consuming desired protein intake.
5) Maintaining a Healthy Weight
According to the nutritional breakdown of peanuts discussed above, we can analyze that it is a source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, and are low in carbs. Consuming all these nutrients of peanuts can help maintain a healthy weight because they have a low glycemic index (GI). The Glycemic index is a measure of carbs absorption in the human bloodstream, and a low index is crucial for weight management.
The risk of weight gain and obesity in those who eat nuts, including peanuts, twice a week is lower as compared to those who rarely eat nuts. A small bowl of peanuts is a fiber-dense snack that makes you feel filled for a longer period, thus guaranteeing fewer calories consumed throughout the day. And they not only make you feel filled, but nutrient-dense peanuts also boost your metabolism, which in turn results in weight loss.
6) Lowers Cholesterol and Maintains a Healthy Heart
Peanuts are a mixture of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are considered effective in lowering levels of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream and adding good cholesterol to the human body. Adding plenty of these monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats stimulates the artery-clearing process that maintains your blood flow.
Peanuts are, therefore, a good remedy for cholesterol control due to the predominance of monounsaturated fat, i.e., 24.43 grams per 100 grams of raw peanuts serving. Another nutrient found in peanuts that contributes to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases is copper, which lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol. Almost 0.42 micrograms of copper are present in a quarter-cup serving of peanuts which is equal to 47% of the DV for the mineral.
7) Promotes Good Memory and Brain Health
Nutrients like vitamin B1, niacin, and folate are required for a healthy as well as sharper brain. Make your brain sharper by consuming peanuts that can fuel your body with these nutrients crucial for an active and healthy brain. Apart from promoting normal functioning of the brain, vitamin B3 in peanuts also boosts your memory power, due to which they are given the tag of “brain food.”
8) Effective in Gallstones Prevention
Gallstones are developed in the gall bladder due to uncontrolled and undissolved cholesterol levels. The risk of gallstones is higher in people who are overweight, over age 40, and those with a diet high in calories and refined carbohydrates. As we know, the role of peanuts is in weight loss and reducing bad cholesterol levels. This cholesterol-lowering effect associates eating one serving of peanuts at least per day with a reduced risk of gallstone formation.
9) Manage Blood Sugar Levels
The fiber, magnesium, and other healthy oils in peanuts play a role in lowering blood sugar levels. Due to the low glycemic index (GI), adding peanuts or peanut butter to your meal does not cause a big spike in blood sugar levels.
Another factor that makes peanuts helpful in controlling blood sugar levels is that they are relatively low in carbohydrates but high in protein, fat, and fiber. Peanut Fiber allows a steadier release of energy by slowing down the digestive processes, and the protein content takes longer to break down than simple carbohydrates, that in turn helps in controlling blood sugar levels.
Conclusion:
Peanuts are rich in essential nutrients, and eating them in moderation will not only help you increase the amount of protein that you take per day. But will also reduce the calorie count that you consume. Peanuts help lower fat percentage, support heart health, help a person maintain a healthy weight, and manage blood sugar levels while helping you build muscle mass.