Are peanuts harmful or beneficial? How to eat them healthier? Tell your family after reading this

This article was reviewed by Pa Li Ze, chief physician of nutrition, member of the Science Popularization Committee of the Chinese Nutrition Society

Peanuts are not unfamiliar to us. They are also known as the "longevity fruit". They are loved by everyone whether as a side dish or as a snack.

Is it reliable to find out that my blood lipids are high and I eat peanuts to relieve the symptoms?

54-year-old Mr. Zhang had just come back from the hospital for a checkup. He was walking home with the medicine prescribed by the doctor when he met Mr. Li in the park. After asking, Mr. Li learned that Mr. Zhang had high blood lipids caused by obesity. The normal blood lipid index is 0.45-1.7 mmol/L, and Mr. Zhang's blood lipids reached 1.7 mmol/L. The doctor prescribed him medicine and told him to start losing weight when he returned home, such as animal oil, fatty meat, animal offal, etc. Try not to eat these, and eat more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Mr. Li told him that he could go back and eat some peanuts, which could lower blood lipids, reduce cholesterol accumulation, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

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Lao Zhang went home and told his wife about this. His wife scolded him and said that she had told him to eat less fatty meat and lose weight, but he didn't listen. Now that you are sick, you believe other people's "unorthodox teachings". They said that peanuts contain a lot of fat and protein, and it is good enough that they don't increase blood lipids, let alone lower them. This is a manifestation of "trying everything possible when you are sick". You believe whatever others say.

Lao Zhang also looked up some information on the Internet and found that there are different opinions on whether peanuts can lower blood lipids and prevent cardiovascular diseases. He didn't know who to believe for a while.

Are peanuts a "good health product"?

In our opinion, the biggest cause of cardiovascular disease is excessive fat content in the body, which is deposited in the blood vessels, increasing blood viscosity and slowing blood flow, thereby inducing a series of cardiovascular diseases. Peanuts contain fat and protein. Isn't fat called the "root of all evil"? Wouldn't this kind of food affect the health of blood vessels?

In fact, this understanding is one-sided. The fat in peanuts is mostly monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These nutrients can lower bad cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, improve blood lipid conditions, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

According to a Harvard University study on the relationship between moderate intake of nuts and cardiovascular disease risk, although adding peanuts as a snack to the normal diet instead of other refined grains cannot significantly change blood sugar and blood lipid parameters, it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with metabolic syndrome to a certain extent.

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In addition, in 2021, the American Heart Association also published an article on this research, which showed that the unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber and other nutrients contained in peanuts can increase our control of blood sugar, blood lipids and blood pressure, thereby playing a role in preventing cardiovascular disease. People who eat 4-5 peanuts a day have a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 20% lower risk of stroke than those who do not eat peanuts.

From this point of view, the role of peanuts in cardiovascular disease cannot be underestimated. In fact, peanuts have more than these effects. They are also beneficial to intelligence and brain health, delay aging, increase satiety, help lose weight, and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and rectal cancer. However, peanuts are useful only if they are eaten correctly. According to the "Chinese Dietary Guidelines", the daily intake of nuts including peanuts for healthy adults is about 10 grams, which is about 12 peanuts. It is not advisable to eat too much.

These two types of people should try to eat less peanuts

For people in some special circumstances, it is recommended to minimize the amount of peanuts they eat.

1. Patients with high uric acid and gout

Peanuts are also high-purine foods, which are foods that patients with high uric acid should eat less or not. Excessive intake may reduce the excretion of uric acid, increase the uric acid content in the body, and thus increase the risk of gout attacks.

For patients with hyperuricemia and non-acute gout, eating up to 7 peanuts a day can help regulate blood sugar, triglycerides, etc.

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2. People with renal insufficiency

Peanuts contain phosphorus, and people with kidney disease have deteriorating renal function and limited ability to metabolize phosphorus, which will increase the burden on the kidneys and worsen the condition. Therefore, it is recommended that kidney patients eat no more than 5 peanuts a day and choose more high-quality protein foods such as milk, lean meat, fish, etc.

Source: Health Times

Author: Zhi Jiehua, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology, Yangzhou First People's Hospital, Jiangsu Province

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