Calories in peanuts and their health benefits

Peanuts are one of the most common legumes in the Arab world, whether roasted, raw, peanut butter, or in the form of peanut oil, so today we’ll learn about its benefits, calorie content, and how to add it to your diet in a healthy way, and you'll find a series on legumes in Fitness Garage You can check them out.

Nutritional values of peanuts.

The nutritional values in 100 grams of raw peanuts are:

Fat

Peanuts are one of the rich sources in fat, It is an oilseed, you can extract peanut oil from it, the fat ranges between 44 to 54%, considered mostly monounsaturated fat, and it does not contain Saturated fats, but if your goal is to lose weight, you should eat it in amounts that fit your plan.
 

Protein

Peanuts have a large amount of protein, ranging from 22 to 30% of total calories, making it a source of plant protein, and this can be a protein source for women who follow plant-based diets.

Carbohydrates

Peanuts are a low-carb source, with carbs making up 13 to 16% of total calories, plus they have a high amount of Protein and fiber and fat،  Glycemic index Very low, which makes it suitable for diabetics.

Vitamins and minerals

Peanuts have a high amount of Vitamin and minerals, such as:

• Biotin: Peanuts are one of the richest sources of biotin, which is an important vitamin for pregnant women because it helps build cells, and lack of biotin may cause birth defects.
• Niacin: Niacin is known as vitamin B3, and it has many health benefits like heart health because it controls cholesterol levels in the body.
• Folic acid: It is an important vitamin for many basic body functions, especially during pregnancy, as it is responsible for making red blood cells, so it should be taken care of in the months before birth.

Plant compounds

Peanuts contain plant compounds that are biologically active, antioxidants, and there are types of antioxidants like:

• p-Coumaric acid: It is one of the main antioxidants in peanuts because it protects against clots and improves your athletic performance.
• Resveratrol: A powerful antioxidant that can reduce the risk of cancer especially if you have a family history.

Health benefits of peanuts

Peanuts have some health benefits, including:

1- Improving heart health

You should care about your heart health because it affects many parts of life. Peanuts contain magnesium, niacin, and copper which help improve heart and artery health.
 

2- Reducing risk of gallstones

Gallstones affect about10% to 25% of adult women, and many studies show eating peanuts lowers the chance of gallstones because it blocks their formation from the start and also lowers cholesterol in the body.

Peanut allergy

Peanut allergy and some other negative effects, like:

• Peanut allergy: Peanut is the top cause of food allergies. More than 1% of women get peanut allergy, and if you have it you must avoid all peanut products like peanut butter.

• Aflatoxin poisoning: Peanuts can get infected with aflatoxin mold, and symptoms of infection are Loss of appetite, eye color changing to yellow, it can lead to liver failure. To avoid this, peanuts should be dried well and stored with low humidity.

• Anti-nutrients: It contains some antinutrients, which block the body's absorption of nutrients, but you can avoid this problem by eating a variety of foods throughout the day.

How to make peanut butter at home

Ingredients

• 2 cups of roasted peanuts.
• A spoon of white honey.
• A pinch of salt

Preparation method

• Put the peanuts in a food processor,
• Mix it for 5 minutes until the mix is smooth and liquid.
• Add the honey and salt and keep mixing.
• Store it in the fridge or at room temperature.
• Now you have healthy and tasty peanut butter.
• Divide the amount into 8 servings.
• Each serving contains 207 calories, 17.5 grams of healthy fats, and 6.4 grams of protein.

Ways to add peanuts to your diet

There are many ways you can add peanuts and peanut butter to your daily meals, like:
 

1-Make a peanut butter sandwich, and this meal can be eaten for breakfast with a slice of toast.

2- Try it with a noodle dish, it will add a little creamy touch to the dish.

3- Add peanuts to your smoothie or juice drinks.

4- You can add peanuts to your snacks or granola ingredients.

Peanuts and legumes are healthy elements that can be part of your daily diet. Replace unhealthy foods like chips with peanuts. Fitness Garage can give you a varied diet plan to lose weight and build muscle. Also, an effective training schedule. Just contact us on the Facebook page.