Boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, peanut soup... Peanuts are nutritious, affordable, and a favorite nut among Chinese people. Recently, the American magazine "Cooking Light" summarized the latest research and published an article on the 5 benefits of peanuts. How many of them did you know?
1. Appetite Control
Peanuts are "high satiety" foods, making you feel fuller for longer. A study 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 Nutrition Science at Purdue University, says: "The high satiety effect is not just due to fat, dietary 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, says: "Eating peanuts or peanut butter for breakfast can reduce food intake for the rest of the day."
2. Helps Reduce Salt
While salty snacks are often high in sodium, the salt content in salted peanuts is less than that of an equal weight of sliced bread or frozen waffles. Therefore, salted peanuts can satisfy your craving for salt without easily leading to excessive sodium 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. Eating some peanuts in the morning can help keep your blood sugar from spiking 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 other components, can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, 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 believe that the unsaturated fats and other anti-cancer nutrients in peanuts may be responsible for this effect.