Boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, peanut soup... Peanuts are nutritious, affordable, and a favorite nut among Chinese people. The American magazine "Cooking Light" synthesized the latest research to introduce the five benefits of peanuts.
1. Appetite Control. Peanuts are a "high satiety" food that can make you feel fuller for longer. An article published in the "Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism" found that people who snacked on peanuts ate less. Dr. Mattes, a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Purdue University, said: "The high satiety of peanuts is not just due to their fat, fiber, and protein content, but the result of all these factors working together." Kathy McManus, director of the Nutrition Department at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said that eating peanuts or peanut butter at breakfast can reduce food intake for the rest of the day.
2. Helps Reduce Salt Intake. Salty snacks are typically high in sodium. However, salted peanuts contain less sodium than an equal weight of sliced bread or frozen waffles. Therefore, salted peanuts can satisfy your craving for salty food without easily leading to excessive salt intake.
3. Stabilizes Blood Sugar. Research has found that if people replace a serving of red meat in their diet with peanuts, their risk of developing diabetes can be reduced by 21%. Peanuts slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. If you eat some peanuts in the morning, your blood sugar levels are less likely to be high throughout the day.
4. Maintains Heart Health. An article in the "Journal of Nutrition" pointed out that people who eat the most peanuts can reduce their risk of coronary heart disease by 35%. Researchers believe that the fatty acid composition of peanuts, combined with the effects of other components, can lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), leading to a healthier heart.
5. Reduces the Risk of Colon Cancer. Research has found that women who eat peanuts at least twice a week can reduce their risk of colon cancer by 58%, while men can reduce their risk by 27%. Scientists speculate that this may be due to the folic acid and other anti-cancer nutrients in peanuts.