Facts about Peanuts

By Florencia Tagliavini, The NutraMilk Nutritionist

Peanuts are in fact not nuts. Botanically they are considered legumes, however, their nutritional properties are similar to tree nuts. They come in many varieties, but the most common are the Virginia, Spanish and Valencia. They originated in South America and today the leading producers are India, China, United States, Nigeria and Indonesia.

In addition to being every kid's (and many grownup kid's) favorite sandwich filling, peanuts pack a serious nutritional punch and offer a variety of health benefits!

Nutrition & Health

Like most nuts, peanuts are naturally cholesterol free, gluten free, low in saturated fat and are a low glycemic-index food. They are good source of protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins & minerals and:

• Are Primarily composed of heart healthy monounsaturated fats,
  similar to those found in olive oil and used in the Mediterranean diet. In numerous studies, MUFA's have been shown to promote heart health by lowering LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increasing HDL or "good cholesterol" levels in the blood.
• Have the highest protein content of any nut
  Composed of amino acids that are essential for growth and development. They are an excellent source of plant protein.
• Contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols
  Primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid that lowers the risk of stomach cancer by limiting the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in the stomach. They are also an excellent source of resveratrol, the same polyphenolic antioxidant found in red wine which has been shown to lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer