Health Benefits Of Eating Groundnuts (Peanuts)

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It is important to remember that, to really reap the potential rewards of groundnut, consuming unsalted peanuts is best. High levels of salt have negative health effects, and can contribute to high blood pressure amongst other concerns.

A study in the Longdom journal found that groundnut skins are rich in phenols, a form of antioxidant. Like other antioxidants, phenols are powerful substances that protect your cells against the harmful effects of free radicals.

According to a 2012 study from North Carolina University, published in the “Journal of Food Science,” it was reported that adding a 5 percent concentration of peanut (groundnut) skins to peanut butter significantly increased its antioxidant levels without sacrificing taste or texture.

High cholesterol causes fatty deposits in your arteries, which can eventually lead to heart disease. Groundnuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that may keep the heart healthy, by helping to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Protein is an essential component of our diet, since there are over 10,000 types of protein in our bodies. Peanuts have been shown to be an extremely high source of plant protein, and they are often incorporated into the diets of vegetarians and protein deficient people.

Peanut is a rich source of minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calcium, sodium, etc. These minerals are essential to many processes in the body, and an adequate supply of these minerals minimises the risk of mineral deficiency diseases.

The high levels of folate in groundnut could make them particularly beneficial during pregnancy, since studies have shown that folate can reduce the incidence of birth defects and anaemia related conditions. (Always follow your medical practitioner’s advice during pregnancy.)

While peanuts are high in calories, they are also rich in fibre and protein, factors that increase and prolong satiety (the sensation of being full and satisfied). This means that having a small number of peanuts as a snack helps to reduce your overall food intake, compared to say the equivalent amount of calories consumed through a chocolate bar.

Research published by the European Journal of Nutrition has shown that regular nut consumption resulted in a 66% lower risk of anxiety in men. This may be due to the high level of tryptophan in peanuts. Tryptophan increases the level of serotonin in the brain, which mirrors the action of some antidepressants, so it is thought that peanuts may also have a role in relieving depression.