It may come as no surprise that 90% of households in the U.S. consume peanut butter. Peanuts are an inexpensive, accessible food that has been found to have immense health benefits. While peanuts are a widespread, tasty treat, peanut health benefits are still being discovered. This article takes a closer look at some of the known benefits of eating peanuts.
One major benefit of eating peanuts is that they can make you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Studies show that people who snacked on peanuts ate less later on. The satiety value of peanuts is not only based on their fat, fiber, or protein content, but from all of these components combined. With this in mind, it’s recommended that you incorporate peanut products, such as peanut butter or organic peanut oil, into your breakfast meal to help you feel full longer.
Along with helping curb your appetite, peanuts can also help reduce your risk of diabetes and help control your blood sugar. Peanut products can slow the absorption of carbohydrates and in turn, can keep blood sugar levels lower throughout the day.
Another one of the many great benefits of eating peanuts is that they are one salty food you don’t have to feel guilty about. Let’s be honest, sodium-restricted diets are hard to handle. After all, who doesn’t love salty snacks? Luckily, peanuts contain a very small amount of sodium. This means you can still enjoy a salty snack even while following a low-sodium diet.
Your diet can play an immense role in the prevention of colon cancer. Unfortunately, colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. But studies have found that people who eat peanuts regularly are less likely to get colon cancer. Researchers think the reason for this is that peanuts are packed with folic acids and other cancer-fighting nutrients.
As people age, they have an increased risk of gallstones, which are small particles that form in the gallbladder. Eating a high level of nuts can provide the necessary nutrients to help decrease this risk.
Your heart health is something else that can benefit from eating peanuts. Research has found that the fatty acid profile of the nuts, in hand with other components, can help reduce LDL-cholesterol. This can lead to an overall healthier heart.
With all of the benefits of eating peanuts, you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in delicious peanut products. These advantages of peanuts can be applied to your everyday life by simply taking a quick trip to the grocery store to grab your favorite peanut products.