Peanuts
Peanuts originated in South America where they were a staple diet of the Aztecs and other Native Indians in South America and Mexico. Today, the nuts are widely cultivated oil seeds and has established as prime commercial crop in China, India, African nations, and the US.
Peanuts are known by many other local names such as earthnuts, ground nuts, goober peas, monkey nuts, pygmy nuts and pig nuts. Despite its name and appearance, the peanut is not a nut, but rather a legume.
Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. They are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. Moreover, peanuts provide resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant also found in red grapes and red wine that is thought to be responsible for the French paradox.
Peanuts are available in the markets year around. Shelled, unshelled, salted and sweetened forms are available. Try to buy unshelled nuts instead of processed ones. They are generally available in the airtight packs as well as in bulk bins. Choose pods that feature compact, off white color, healthy-looking shell, uniform in size, and feel heavy in hand. They should be free from cracks, mold, and spots and free of rancid smell.
Source: www.wikipedia.org, www.whfoods.com
Image by Texnik available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Peanuts originated in South America where they were a staple diet of the Aztecs and other Native Indians in South America and Mexico. Today, the nuts are widely cultivated oil seeds and has established as prime commercial crop in China, India, African nations, and the US.
Peanuts are known by many other local names such as earthnuts, ground nuts, goober peas, monkey nuts, pygmy nuts and pig nuts. Despite its name and appearance, the peanut is not a nut, but rather a legume.
Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediter..
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