Peanuts, originating from South America, are a common type of nuts which are known by different names, such as earthnuts, ground nuts, and goobers. Nonetheless, technically, peanuts are not nuts. They belong to the family of legumes and are related to lentils, beans, and soy. Peanuts not only taste good but also are rich in fat, protein, and other healthy nutrients. They are often used as an ingredient in candy bars, peanut butter, chocolates, etc. When it comes to benefits of peanuts, they are various, ranging from health to beauty. Read this article to know what the most appreciated benefits of peanuts for health and beauty are!
12 Must-Know Health And Beauty Benefits Of Peanuts
- It Is Good For Heart Health
Among benefits of peanuts for health, this seems to be the most well-known. Thanks to the high level of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, peanuts can keep your heart healthy. In particular, the oleic acid in peanuts can lower the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good one (HDL) in the blood. Therefore, they can prevent stroke and coronary artery disease by enhancing healthy blood lipid profile.
- It Boosts Energy
One of the most noticeable benefits of peanuts for health is boosting energy. Because peanuts contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and nutrients, so they are great sources for energy.
- It Helps With Weight Loss
Peanuts have been studied with in regard to weight maintenance. Because of being high in calories and fat, peanuts do not increase weight. Consuming peanuts will help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity.
- It Fights Cancer
The polyphenolic antioxidants present in peanuts are beneficial for stomach cancer prevention because it helps reduce the productions of carcinogenic nitrous-amines.
On the other hand, legumes like peanuts also have a high content of beta-sitosterol (SIT) which is a form of phytosterol which can protect t against cancer by naturally inhibiting the growth of a tumor. Thus, those men and women who ate peanuts at least twice per week might reduce the risk of colon cancer by 27-58%.
- It Prevents Gallstone
It is estimated that gallstones impact about 10-25% of adults in the US. Frequent consumption of peanuts might reduce the risk of gallstones significantly. According to studies, just one ounce of peanuts can help lower the risk of having gallstones by up to 25%.
- It Improves Memory
Often called as “brain food”, peanuts contain vitamin B3 which is good for brain function as well as memory. Also, they have a flavonoid named resveratrol which can improve the blood flow to the brain by about 30%.
- It Fights Depression
Serotonin is one of the most important brain chemicals, which helps in mood regulation. However, the inadequate secretion of serotonin is responsible for resulting in depression. Thankfully, the amino acid named tryptophan in peanuts can aid the release of serotonin, therefore help you defeat depression. It could further increase anti-depressant effects of serotonin when there is an increased formation of serotonin in the human blood.
- It Supports Pregnancy
Peanuts are considered a good source of folate, which is an important substance for women during pregnancy. According to a prestigious study, those women consuming 400 grams of this acid both before and during early stages of pregnancy reported a lower risk of having a baby with neural tube effect. Furthermore, consuming peanuts during pregnancy also reduces the risk of some common allergic diseases such as asthma in children.
- It Prevents Alzheimer’s
Many studies have proved that consuming foods which are rich in niacin like peanuts may lower the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease by about 70%. Just a quarter cup of this nut can offer a quarter of the essential daily intake of niacin.
- It Gives Clear Skin
In peanuts, the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, as well as resveratrol, plays a crucial role in supplying you with a clear and glowing skin. Additionally, because toxins may trigger breakouts and excessive oil on your skin, so the dietary fiber content in peanuts will help flush out those excess toxins, thereby making your skin flawless and clear. Thus, you should eat peanuts regularly to help flush out excess toxins from the body and get clear skin.
On the other hand, peanuts with its magnesium content can calm your nerve, blood vessels, and muscles to accelerate blood flow to your skin. In turn, this gives you youthful skin.
- It Prevent Hair Loss
Among benefits of peanuts for beauty, hair loss prevention may be little known. Thanks to the vitamin C which is useful in increasing the production of collagen, peanuts can prevent hair loss. Also, the I-arginine in peanuts is an ingredient in many treatments of male pattern baldness whilst omega-3 fatty acids can strengthen the hair follicles and enhance hair growth.
- It Prevents Wrinkles And Fine Lines
Premature signs of aging such as discoloration, wrinkles, and decreased elasticity of the skin are one of the biggest beauty concerns of us. Fortunately, peanuts have a significant amount of vitamin C which is necessary for the production of collagen. In essence, collagen is important to sustain tendons, cartilage, and skin. So, eating peanuts will improve your skin firmness as well as elasticity and keep it supple and young.
In conclusion, peanuts are a good source of protein and high in essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. The benefits of peanuts for health and beauty are various, so they should be added to your daily diet. However, because of the high content of fat and calories included in peanuts, you should not eat them in excess.
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