Peanuts
Don’t call them nuts
When you consider that the average American consumes 12 pounds of peanuts a year, it’s safe to assume that peanuts are one of our favorite nuts. Or are they? Actually the peanut isn’t a nut at all, but a legume (the fruit or seed of leguminous plants), which means it grows underground like a potato and is related to peas and beans.
Nutty facts!
- Peanuts contain mostly beneficial mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats. These fats have been shown to help lower blood LDL-cholesterol levels.
- One ounce, or a small handful of plain Dry Roasted Peanuts, contains 9% of your daily needed fiber (2.2 grams). Peanuts also contain 14 grams of fat per one ounce serving.
- An ounce of plain dry roasted peanuts is a good source of folic acid, important for development of new cells in the body particularly during growth and pregnancy. The same serving also provides niacin (vitamin B3), and contains essential minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus and manganese.
See nutrition information for fat content.
REFERENCES:
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23 (2010), www.ars.usda.gov
- American Peanut Council, www.peanutsusa.com
- Nutrition labeling of Food, Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.9, Release date April 1, 2010