And rachis. We have all known these “nuts” since childhood, the consumption of which can be difficult to control: the impressive size packaging sometimes “flies away” at once. It is noteworthy that peanuts are not, contrary to popular belief, a nut. Its botanical name, groundnut, has largely contributed to the widespread misunderstanding of what peanuts are. In fact, peanuts belong to the legume family.
Peanuts are an annual plant that produces fruits that are no different in appearance from other legumes. The fruits are covered with a dense shell, but peanuts are most often sold peeled, since the fruits in the shell begin to quickly mold and deteriorate, which significantly reduces their shelf life.
Peanuts: benefits and harms for the body of men and women
Peanuts are rich in vitamins, microelements and, most importantly, amino acids, so increased peanut content is often observed in the diet of vegans and vegetarians. Also, peanuts are a high molecular weight protein; The protein content in the seeds is quite high - 26 g per 100 g of product.
For comparison, in peas there is only 5 g per 100 g of product, in a chicken egg - 13 g per 100 g of product, and in cow's milk - 3.4 g per 100 g of product. Thus, peanuts are superior in protein content to many not only plant but also animal products.
Peanuts are rich in fatty oil (53%), it contains arachidic, stearic, palmitic, hypogeic, linoleic, lauric, behenic, lignoceric, myristic, eicosenoic, ceroteic and other acids. Peanuts also contain B vitamins, vitamin E and many others. However, are peanuts as healthy and, most importantly, harmless as they might seem?
Peanut harm
To begin with, it is worth noting that any foreign protein in our body is digested and absorbed with great difficulty. Of course, the harm from animal protein and plant protein is not comparable. However, even plant protein requires a complex and energy-intensive process of digestion with the concomitant formation of various toxins. Peanuts are a high-molecular protein that takes three to five hours to digest, on which the body spends almost all its resources.
Peanut fruits can have a healing effect on diseases of the male genitourinary system. There is information that eating peanuts can prevent or alleviate diseases such as adenoma and prostatitis. Also, substances contained in peanuts may be beneficial during pregnancy. Peanut fruits are rich in phosphorus, potassium, zinc and calcium, and phosphoric acid prevents the development of fetal defects.
However, it is worth remembering that any product that is consumed in excessive quantities is harmful. Peanuts contain so-called erucic acid, which negatively affects the activity of muscles and smooth cardiac muscles. Also, the husk covering peanut seeds is a strong allergen and can cause large quantities eaten product can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction, including suffocation and death. Therefore, in order to avoid negative effects, it is not recommended to eat more than 50–100 g of peanuts per day. And this is subject to the healthy state of the gastrointestinal tract and the entire body as a whole.
Peanuts are harmful to the whole body
Despite many beneficial features, the harm of peanuts in most cases exceeds its usefulness. This happens in three cases:
- binge eating;
- low quality of the product due to improper storage conditions;
- low quality of the product due to certain growing technologies.
Let's look at these reasons in order.
Reason one: binge eating . Most often, it is not possible to control the consumption of peanuts. The very form of the product contributes to its uncontrolled consumption. Once in the stomach, peanuts do not begin to be digested immediately, so saturation is not felt during the consumption process. Moreover, most of the product is not absorbed by our body, since the necessary enzymes are simply not available to break down many components. Therefore, most of the product is excreted from the body in an undigested form.
However, the digestibility of peanuts increases if they are soaked and ground. And you can conduct a simple experiment: take your usual daily amount of peanuts, soak them and grind them, and then try to eat them. And surprisingly, experience shows that after the first two or three spoons of ground peanuts, saturation occurs. Why is that?
The fact is that soaked and ground peanuts are absorbed better and faster, which is why the body gives us signals of satiety. But the whole product is almost not digestible, the body does not perceive it as a complete food, and that is why a person overeats peanuts three to five times. This leads to excessive stress on the gastrointestinal tract and, in particular, on the liver and intestines, which are forced to actively work to remove the breakdown products of the semi-digested product.
Therefore, to avoid overeating and increase the percentage of absorption, peanuts need to be soaked and ground. Or at least at least soak it. The fact is that nature intended it this way: the activation of all beneficial substances in seeds, grains and legumes occurs when they enter a humid environment. This is a signal that the grain is ready to germinate, and various processes of transformation of biologically active components begin in it.
Reason two: low quality of the product due to improper storage conditions. Unfortunately, most peanuts are not stored properly. And on average, 30 to 50 percent of nuts are affected by fungi and mold. And this is also a great harm of peanuts for the body.
These fungi and molds are incredibly toxic to our body: they not only have a detrimental effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract, striking primarily the liver and stomach, but also contribute to the development of cancer. You can, of course, fry the nuts before use, but here another problem arises: heat-treated peanuts lose almost all of their beneficial properties and simply become a useless product that the body seeks to eliminate.
In addition, most types of fungus and mold that affect nuts are heat-resistant, so roasting will not solve the problem. Peanuts are brought to most regions of our country from afar, and then subjected to long-term storage in premises that are often not suitable for this. Therefore, it is very difficult to find nuts that have been properly stored and are not affected by fungi and mold. And in order to minimize the harm of peanuts to the body, you need to carefully choose the product.
Reason three: low quality of the product due to certain growing technologies. There is one big problem with growing peanuts: all sorts of insects love them. The same problem occurs during storage: pests inexorably eat up peanut stocks.
Manufacturers and distributors are suffering losses and are looking for a solution. And a solution has been found: petunia genes are included in the peanut genes. How does this change the situation? Drastically. Peanuts become a poisonous product that neither insects nor pests simply eat because they do not want to be poisoned. But it ends up on the shelves of our stores and is successfully sold to consumers who are fully confident that they are buying a healthy product rich in vitamins and microelements. And this genetic modification causes great harm to peanuts for the body.
Are all the peanuts on our store shelves genetically modified and, as a result, poisonous? The question remains open. However, there is information that most of the peanuts in our country are delivered from China, where this plant is not grown at all except with the introduction of the petunia gene. Therefore, the risk of buying genetically modified peanuts is very high.
Peanuts are one of the most controversial foods. Despite the fact that it is rich in vitamins and microelements, the risk of buying a low-quality product and causing great harm to your body is quite high. Therefore, it may be worth looking for an alternative source of amino acids and vitamins that is much less dangerous; after all, when buying peanuts, we can never be 100% sure that they were grown and stored correctly. And this game of “peanuts roulette” can cost a person his health and even his life.
Nuts contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, and peanuts are no exception. Most people wonder which is healthier, roasted or raw peanuts? After all, it has long been known that natural products are more healthy, but we prefer to eat peanuts only after heat treatment. Are roasted peanuts really good for you, or should you eat them raw?
Beneficial properties of peanuts
Peanuts contain large amounts of vitamins B, A, D, PP and E. They are a source of biotin, vegetable fats and folic acid. Although high in fat, peanuts do not contain cholesterol and effectively reduce it. Peanuts are very well absorbed by the body and can be used for gastritis. Eating peanuts has a positive effect on the heart, liver, potency and nervous system. Despite heat treatment, peanuts retain their beneficial properties. In most culinary dishes, only roasted peanuts can be added.
Peanuts contain polyphenols, which are the best antioxidants. These substances are beneficial for the heart, blood vessels and are effective in the fight against cancer cells. It is noteworthy that fried peanuts contain one third more of these substances than raw peanuts. Peanuts contain a high percentage of iron, magnesium and copper. Peanuts are especially useful for nervous system. It should be used for insomnia, nervous disorders and increased excitability.
Why shouldn't you eat raw peanuts?
We are conditioned to believe that unprocessed foods are the healthiest. There is some truth to this, but it does not apply to peanuts. Eating raw nuts can cause digestive problems. In addition, peanut skin very often causes allergies. Peanuts should not be eaten if you have gout or arthritis.
If you eat large quantities of peanuts every day, you will not be able to avoid weight gain. Raw peanuts do not taste very pleasant and you should not force yourself to eat them because of their high nutritional value - roasted nuts retain all their beneficial properties.
If you store peanuts in a cool room, mold can grow on them. As a result, a person will consume a product with a high content of toxins. This leads to problems with internal organs and poisoning.
Most manufacturers offer peanuts in salt or powder, with the addition of chocolate and other goodies. In this case, preference should be given to natural raw peanuts. No matter how sad it may be, manufacturers do not skimp on food additives that make the product less healthy. In addition, you can roast peanuts at home.
When choosing between raw and roasted peanuts, you should be guided by your taste preferences and the state of your gastrointestinal tract. If you don’t have digestive problems and like the taste of raw peanuts, you shouldn’t subject them to additional processing. But if you prefer roasted peanuts, forcing yourself to eat raw is pointless.
One of the popular among many types of nuts is peanuts harm and benefit for the body of men and women, which are described in this article. The nut is often consumed as a delicacy, but it has many beneficial properties.
Peanut butter, halva, and paste are made from peanuts. You can buy nuts in any form: fresh, roasted, salty, peeled and not, pure and seasoned.
Compound
Before we talk about benefits and harms peanuts on human body, you need to find out what substances it contains. Raw nuts contain the following vitamins and microelements:
Interesting! Dried peanuts are just as healthy as raw ones, since the vitamins are not destroyed during drying.
The shelf life of dried nuts is approximately one year. Since moisture leaves the nuts during the drying process, their weight decreases, so their calorie content increases. The calorie content of fresh (unprocessed) nuts is about 551 kcal, and when dried it is about 611 kcal.
Benefit
Women
For men
The nut has a beneficial effect on men. Peanuts will help stabilize hormonal background.
- Selenium in halva, nuts, butter or paste (7.2 mcg) helps produce testosterone.
- Calcium (about 658 mg) helps improve the functioning of the heart muscle and strengthen all muscles in general.
- Potassium will help normalize the condition of blood vessels. Men after 30-40 years of age are at risk; there is a high probability of having problems with the cardiovascular system. To avoid health problems, it will be enough to consume the daily amount (about 3 g).
Important! Peanuts, when consumed in excess, increase the likelihood of weight gain and can also cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, you should not exceed the daily norm.
- It is beneficial for men to eat peanuts, as their consumption has a beneficial effect on the treatment of prostate adenoma and prostatitis.
- Consumption of nuts will help fight potency and poor erection.
- Vitamins B9, B12, manganese and zinc will help cope with inflammatory processes in the male genitourinary system .
- Zinc activates sperm, enhances libido and restores hormonal levels. By eating 30g of nuts every day, you can forget about prostatitis and genitourinary disorders.
Pregnant
The nut is useful for expectant mothers. The body will be replenished with polyphenols, which are responsible for the functioning of the heart and the process of skin regeneration.
Vitamin B9 (240 mcg) or folic acid is involved in the formation of the fetal nervous system.
But it is necessary to reduce the consumption of nuts during pregnancy, as an allergic reaction may occur.
Children and teenagers
Peanuts are beneficial for children and adolescents due to the presence of calcium (76 mg). It promotes bone growth and strength. The daily requirement is about 800 mg for all people. The condition of the nail plate, bones and teeth will noticeably improve.
Peanuts also contain phosphorus (350 mg). These two components work well together to prevent bone deformation and porosity. This helps create excellent posture.
Important! For children under 12 years of age, the daily norm is 20 g. In case of an overdose, the allergen will accumulate, which will cause the development of intolerance.
Watch the video!
Peanuts in the country - the complete process from planting to harvesting
Contraindications
In addition to its benefits, this nut can also cause harm to health. Let's talk separately about raw and roasted peanuts.
Harm of raw peanuts
- Eating a lot of peanuts can lead to weight gain and gastrointestinal problems.
- For an allergic reaction, especially angioedema, a few nuts are enough. Allergies can also be caused by aflatoxins - toxic substances that are released under improper storage conditions.
- If the platelet count in the blood exceeds the norm, or varicose veins and thrombophlebitis are diagnosed, consume raw peanuts It’s not worth it, as it can thicken the blood, causing it to pass through the vessels more slowly.
What harm can it do? roasted peanuts ?
It is worth remembering that in the process of preparing nuts, oil was used, which releases carcinogens. Therefore, oil should be used in limited quantities, and it is better not to add it at all.
When losing weight
Since the calorie content of peanuts is very high, you should not consume them during a diet.
If you do include nuts in the menu, then to do this you need to reduce the total calorie content of the menu by 200 kcal, and also follow the following rules:
- You can eat no more than 50 g of peanuts daily (30-50 pieces);
- Peanuts can replace meat in the diet;
- It is better to eat nuts in the morning so that all components can be absorbed;
- Roasted peanuts are absorbed faster, but they contain less vitamins and fatty acids. In addition, it stimulates appetite.
Advice! To create a competent menu containing peanuts, you need to contact a specialist who can take into account all possible reactions of the body to eating nuts.
The daily calorie intake is approximately 1500 kcal. When forming a diet, you need to take into account the initial weight and the desired weight that a person plans to see on the scales after the diet.
Peanut butter is a great substitute for nuts. However, it is worth considering the fact that the oil should not contain various additives. The maximum daily intake is approximately 4 tsp.
Watch the video! Peanuts - benefits and harms, calorie content and composition
The benefits of peanuts were known back in Ancient Greece. The Greeks gave the strawberry nut the name "spider" because the shell was shaped like a spider's cocoon.
Peanuts are an annual plant belonging to the legume family. It is grown in Southern countries where the climate is hot and humid. Ripe fruits are removed from the ground, heat-treated, and then sent to stores.
Peanut kernels are eaten fresh or roasted and used in cooking and confectionery. It is used to make edible oil with a pleasant taste and aroma.
The beneficial properties of peanuts help improve health.
How do peanuts grow?
Peanuts are a legume and grow underground, unlike other nuts, such as walnuts and nuts, which grow on trees.
Composition and calorie content of peanuts
Peanut seeds contain a lot of fats, proteins and amino acids.
Composition 100 gr. peanuts as a percentage of the daily value is presented below.
Vitamins:
- B3 – 60%;
- B9 – 60%;
- B1 – 43%;
- E – 42%;
- B3 – 18%.
Minerals:
Calorie content of peanuts – 567 kcal/100 g.
Peanuts are a source of nutrients and energy. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
People who eat peanuts more than 2 times a week reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Study shows peanuts improve arterial health.
Eating peanut butter and peanuts for breakfast helped obese women reduce their appetite and eat less throughout the day.
Peanut oil protects normal to dry skin from acne and also treats dandruff.
Peanuts help eliminate free radicals that cause cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Harm and contraindications of peanuts
Peanuts are one of the most powerful allergens with dangerous consequences. Food allergies affect 1 in 50 children. Many people believe that food allergies only cause an upset stomach or a skin rash. However, for the majority of the population, food allergies can be fatal. Currently, 16 proteins present in peanuts are officially recognized as allergens.
Many store-bought peanut products contain sugar, so diabetics should avoid them from their diet.
Excessive consumption of peanuts can impair the functioning of the digestive tract.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult a doctor before consuming peanuts.
How to choose peanuts
Choosing raw peanuts, pay attention to the aroma. If there is a smell of dampness or fungus, refuse to purchase, as such a product will not be beneficial.
Don't buy roasted or salted nuts. After processing, the amount of useful substances in them decreases.
Peanuts recently found themselves at the center of a gene scandal. Check where it was produced and by whom so you don't buy toxic peanut seeds. Check the packaging or quality certificate for the presence of genetically modified products, harmful additives and expiration dates.
How to store peanuts
Store peanuts in a cool, dry place away from light. To extend shelf life, dry the nuts in their husks on a baking sheet at low temperature.
Do not consume peanut butter or other peanut products after the expiration date. Make sure that the storage conditions are observed - there is no danger for them in the refrigerator.
Methods for frying peanuts
Roasted peanuts are useful for indigestion. Heat treatment Nuts help the body absorb beneficial enzymes and vitamins.
There are several traditional ways to properly roast a nut.
In a frying pan
Pour the peeled nuts into a hot frying pan and fry until golden brown, preferably without oil. Add salt if desired.
Homemade roasted peanuts retain their beneficial properties and eliminate the addition of chemicals and preservatives.