PK milk nutrition, peanuts are scary! Protect your heart and control your sugar intake

It’s small, but has great eating power! Peanuts are considered one of the "Top Ten Longevity Foods". They are rich in protein and are not inferior to milk. Especially when faced with a wide variety of tastes such as boiled peanuts, roasted peanuts, dried peanuts, etc., how can we eat them without burden? Pharmacists said that studies have shown that eating a moderate amount of peanuts can help protect the heart and stabilize blood sugar, but there are also tips for selecting peanuts to avoid taking in toxins that may be detrimental to health.

Peanuts are rich in fat and protein, and their nutrition is comparable to milk

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong, chairman of the Taiwan Preventive Health Association, said that peanuts, also known as longevity fruit, are rich in fat and protein, with the protein content reaching 30%. The nutritional value is comparable to animal foods such as eggs, milk, and lean meat. Peanuts contain amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids needed by the human body, and are rich in various vitamins, polyphenols and other trace nutrients, and have high nutritional value. In particular, the red skin of peanuts contains nutrients such as fiber, protein, fat and polyphenols, which have the advantages of replenishing blood, improving anemia symptoms, and promoting brain cell development and enhancing memory.

Moderate consumption of peanuts can make your heart healthier

Peanuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which can promote the metabolism and conversion of cholesterol in the body, have the effect of lowering cholesterol, and prevent atherosclerosis. The Journal of Nutrition points out that eating peanuts regularly can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 35%. Studies have found that it is mainly the fatty acids in peanuts that can reduce the content of low-density lipoprotein and make the heart healthier. According to research from the University of Pennsylvania, peanut foods rich in monounsaturated fats, such as peanuts and peanut oil, are more beneficial to heart health than low-fat foods.

In addition, peanuts have anti-aging properties because they contain the same antioxidant resveratrol as red wine. This is a highly biological natural polyphenol that plays an important role in vascular health. Research in recent years has found that resveratrol can help improve fasting hyperglycemia and lower glycosylated hemoglobin, which is beneficial for the control of diabetes.

Do not overcook peanuts to preserve their nutrients

The biggest concern of most people when eating peanuts is that they may accidentally consume too much fat and become obese. Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong said that the key to eating peanuts is still to eat them in moderation. Boiled peanuts are recommended because they can better preserve their nutrients, taste delicious, and avoid excessive fat intake.

There are techniques for selecting peanuts and tips for avoiding aflatoxin.

There are tips for choosing peanuts and avoiding toxins

There are some tips for choosing peanuts. According to the "Agriculture News", consumers can choose safe peanut products:

(1) How to choose and identify raw peanut granules:

Generally, peanut pellets for processing are mostly made by wet shelling to reduce the breakage rate. Therefore, the moisture content of the pellets is relatively high. If they are not dried again and are not stored properly, the risk of aflatoxin breeding will be relatively high. Therefore, when purchasing raw peanut pellets, you should give priority to "vacuum-packed" products from reputable brands. If it is a general bulk retail product, pay attention to "whether the granules are intact and not damaged, and whether the seed coat has changed color"; if the granules are not used up, they should be "stored in the refrigerator" in plastic bags or fresh-keeping boxes to avoid the production of yellow yeast.

(2) Purchase of processed peanut products: Generally speaking, if whole peanuts are infected with mold during the harvesting, transportation, processing, or storage process, they can be easily identified by their appearance. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health and Welfare over the years, the risk of peanut products being contaminated by aflatoxin is: peanut products with shells < seeds < pieces < peanut powder and peanut butter, and domestic products < imported products. Therefore, when consumers purchase peanut products, they can give priority to purchasing fresh, well-packaged domestic peanuts, which are more reliable.

(3) Establish correct eating habits: Pay attention to the effective shelf life and storage conditions. Once the product is opened, it should be consumed within a short period of time. If it cannot be consumed as scheduled, it should be stored in a dry sealed container in the refrigerator. If it is found to be moldy, damp, or has exceeded the shelf life, it should be discarded.

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong explained that aflatoxin is a highly toxic compound that is often produced by Aspergillus flavus and several other molds such as Aspergillus parasiticus in moldy grains. It is a strong carcinogen. If grains such as rice, corn, peanuts, beans, and nuts such as almonds and cashews are not properly stored, they may also breed aflatoxin, which may cause acute liver poisoning, vomiting, abdominal pain, pulmonary edema, convulsions, coma, or liver, kidney, or heart failure. In severe cases, it may cause death.

The factors that cause the growth of yellow aspergillus are the moisture and temperature of the surrounding environment. However, since food contaminated with toxins is difficult to identify by smell and appearance, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food Sanitation Management Act has set clear standard limits for aflatoxin in various types of food. For example, the aflatoxin limit for peanuts, corn, and their products is 15 ppb, and for other cereals and other foods it is 10 ppb, and it must not be detected in baby food. Studies have shown that eating more fruits and vegetables, high-fiber foods, drinking plenty of water, and developing "moderate regular exercise" can reduce the toxic damage of aflatoxin.

These people are not suitable for eating peanuts or need to eat peanuts in moderation

Some groups are not suitable for eating peanuts. Pharmacist Zhao reminds that gout patients suffer from a recurrent inflammatory disease caused by increased purine biosynthesis metabolism, excessive uric acid production or poor uric acid excretion, which leads to increased uric acid in the blood and deposition of urate crystals in the synovium, bursa, cartilage and other tissues of the joints. Since a high-fat diet can reduce uric acid excretion and aggravate the condition, peanuts should be avoided during an acute attack of gout, and can only be eaten in moderation during gout remission.

In addition, people who have undergone cholecystectomy or middle-aged and elderly people have poor digestive function, and peanuts are rich in oil, which may aggravate the occurrence of diarrhea. If you have injuries, fractures, bruises or pain, the swelling may be aggravated. It is recommended not to eat too many peanuts during this period.