Introduction: Boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, peanuts in soups... Peanuts are nutritious, affordable, and a favorite nut among Chinese people. Recently, the American magazine Cooking Light, based on the latest research, published an article highlighting the five benefits of peanuts.
1. Controls Appetite
Peanuts are a "high satiety" food, making you feel fuller or feel full for longer. An article published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found that people who snack on peanuts eat less. Dr. Mattes, a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Purdue University, says, "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, says 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 often high in salt. However, the salt content in salty peanuts is less than that of an equal weight of sliced bread or frozen waffles. Therefore, salty 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 one serving of red meat in their diet with peanuts, their risk of developing diabetes decreases by 21%. Peanuts slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. If you eat some peanuts in the morning, your blood sugar will not be too 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 the levels of low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), making the heart healthier.
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 who eat peanuts at least twice a week can reduce their risk by 27%. Scientists speculate that this may be due to the effects of folate and other anti-cancer nutrients in peanuts.