A peanut is a plant that grows pods containing seeds that are also known as peanuts. You may think of peanuts as nuts, but they’re actually legumes. Despite the deceptive name peanut, this plant is more closely related to peas than it is to almonds and hazelnuts.
Nutritional breakdown
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of raw peanutsTrusted Source contain 567 calories and the following nutrients in grams (g), milligrams (mg), or micrograms (mcg):
| macronutrients | protein carbohydrate fiber sugars | 25.8 g 16.13 g 8.5 g 4.72 g |
| fats | monounsaturated fats polyunsaturated fats saturated fats | 24.43 g 15.56 g 6.28 g |
| minerals | potassium phosphorous magnesium calcium sodium iron zinc | 705 mg 376 mg 168 mg 92 mg 18 mg 4.58 mg 3.27 mg |
| vitamins | vitamin B-3 (niacin) vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) vitamin B-1 (thiamine) vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) riboflavin (vitamin B-2) folate (vitamin B-9) | 12.07 mg 8.33 mg 0.64 mg 0.35 mg 0.14 mg 240 mcg |
Health Benefits of Peanuts
Heart Health
Much attention has been paid to walnuts and almonds as “heart-healthy” foods, given their high content of unsaturated fats. But research suggests that peanuts are every bit as good for heart health as more expensive nuts.
Peanuts help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. They can also stop small blood clots from forming and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Weight Loss
Foods with a lot of protein can help you feel full with fewer calories. And among nuts, peanuts are second only to almonds when it comes to protein count. Studies have shown that people who include a moderate amount of peanuts in their diet will not gain weight from peanuts. In fact, peanuts could help them lose weight.
