Peanuts are a convenient, tasty, and quick snack to have on the go or throughout the workday. And it appears that the rest of the world agrees because it is the most popular nut on the planet!
But, despite their widespread popularity, are they as healthful as other nuts? We performed some research and discovered a few potential adverse effects to be aware of if you're a peanut fan. Continue reading to find out more.
1. They may have an impact on your liver's health.
Peanuts are tasty, but they can also be harmful to your health. This is because they're frequently found alongside aflatoxin, a poisonous fungus that thrives in humid, subtropical, and tropical settings.
Aflatoxin is highly detrimental to human health and can even cause long-term problems such as immune system suppression, renal illness, and liver cancer.
2. They have anti-nutrients in them.
Peanuts include phytic acid, a natural plant chemical that can also be found in other legumes, nuts, seeds, and oils. Unfortunately, phytic acid acts as an anti-nutrient in your body, preventing your body from absorbing nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, manganese, and magnesium.
Phytic acid can limit how much of these nutrients your body can benefit from, even though peanuts have higher levels of them.
3. You may consume too much salt
Although peanuts do not naturally contain much salt, you may want to keep an eye on the sodium levels if you buy any form of packaged peanuts.
A typical 1 ounce serving of dry roasted peanuts from Walmart has 150 milligrams of salt or 7% of the daily recommended amount. This may not seem like a lot at first, but it's easy to eat too many peanuts without realizing it.
To cut down on sodium, look for products that are labeled "low sodium" or "lightly salted," or portion out your meals ahead of time!
4. You'll get a vitamin boost
Even though peanuts have specific potentially harmful side effects, they can still be a healthy snack! According to The Peanut Institute, peanuts are high in unsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, folate, and potassium. Although peanuts include minerals such as zinc and magnesium, phytic acid can reduce their amounts.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, those who eat peanuts regularly (along with other nuts) have a decreased risk of heart disease than people who don't.