Yes, and no. I guess the answer is … “it depends”.

Now I’m not trying to be a fence sitter but the answer all revolves around how fresh the nuts are, and how they’ve been treated.

But first, let me share some interesting facts about this often criticised nut.

• Peanuts are not ‘nuts’ but actually a pulse that belongs in the legume family along with peas, beans and lentils.
• Peanuts don’t grow on trees but under the ground, not on trees
• Peanuts are 25% protein and are high in soluble and insoluble fibre, both of which fill you up
• Peanuts are a good source of unsaturated fats with less than 25% of its fat being saturated and no cholesterol
• Peanuts contain B-vitamins, Folate, Vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, copper and selenium
• Peanuts contain resveratrol, plant sterols and other phytochemicals which researchers say have cardio-protective and cancer inhibiting properties
• Peanuts have a very low glycaemic index of 14

 So with all this goodness why are there so many allergies?

Particularly when you now know that peanuts are not a ‘nut’ but  legume, it does make you wonder. So Actually the allergy is not a nut allergy but a food allergy – a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction to dietary substances from peanuts that causes an overreaction of the immune system which in a small percentage of people may lead to severe physical symptoms.

With all the liability issues schools and child minding facilities have become nut Nazi’s. But the truth is that no one can really explain what the allergen is in the peanut or why peanut allergies have doubled in the last decade. Most doctors advise and parents avoid nut contact in children before the age of 9 months. But more recent studies have found that avoiding peanuts during pregnancy does not reduce peanut allergies in infants. Furthermore infants who are given peanut products earlier in life actually seem to have fewer peanut allergies in life.

There is some bad news ….

There’s something about the combination of fat, salt, protein, snackability of roasted salted peanuts and smooth scoopability of peanut butter that all promote overeating. But apart from over consumption there are some other health concerns you should be aware of.

Peanuts are susceptible to infection from a certain fungus that produces a toxic compound called aflatoxin. And whilst aflatoxin is a naturally occurring compound it is a known carcinogen that is many times more toxic than DDT. Having said this, the risk of aflatoxin exposure from commercially available peanut products is pretty low because farmers now tend to grow disease resistant varieties AND peanuts are generally screened for aflatoxin prior to packaging or import.

Provided you’re not allergic to peanuts, it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll have any other issue with them unless you have any type of liver disease or hepatitis infection. In this instance avoid all peanut products to be on the safe side.

One last point – peanuts also contain agglutinin (PNA) – a plant lectin protein. There’s been a bit of talk lately about the harmful effects of this protein, but there has been no conclusive research to prove (or disprove) the following concerns:

• In isolated human colon cancer cells, peanut lectin is a mitogen, or growth-promoter.
• Altered glycosylation may be at the heart of inflammatory bowel disease-related cancers, like colon cancer.
• Peanut agglutinin caused colon cancer cell proliferation via altered glycosylation, in an in vitro study.
• In humans peanut agglutinin has been shown to make it through the gut lining to end up in the blood stream.

Once again there’s been no official link between eating peanut butter and the development of colon cancer. But there has been one Taiwanese epidemiological study of women that found frequent intake of peanuts and peanut products led to a lowered incidence of colorectal cancer. So make up your own mind on this one, but it you have a history of colon cancer in the family then perhaps avoid all processed peanut products.

And all oils ain’t oils …

It’s true that monounsaturated fats have earned a solid reputation for heart health, and with peanuts oil containing around 46.8% of the total fatty acid you may think it’s a good cooking option. But it’s also got a significant amount of Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), too. 33% of the total fat is actually omega-6 linoleic acid, with essentially non-existent omega-3 ALA content.

So if you need to use oil to cook then select an alternate one like flavourless all-purpose rice bran oil, and use it sparingly. And for salads stick with a small amount of olive oil or an oil-free dressing.

But there is also some good news …

With the health benefits of peanuts they can form a part of any healthy eating plan, in moderation. A serving size is about 30 nuts (that’s 15 unshelled nuts as each shell contains 2 nuts) or about 181 calories.

For the freshest peanuts buy plain boiled ones in their shells and shell them yourself – yes it takes time to peel them but this will stop you eating too many! If this is not possible (or practical) then buy them shelled but still with the brown husk on them. Don’t buy roasted peanuts, or any coated in any other flavours, colours, sugars or salts. Roasted peanuts can oxidise quickly and their ingestion introduces loads of free radicals into your body with the potential (long term) to cause disease.

If you’re a peanut butter fan then make sure yours is freshly ground and has no more than 2 ingredients – peanuts and a little salt. Commercial peanut butters contain all sorts of additives and preservatives that are best avoided. And low fat peanut butters are packed full of extra sugar to make them tasty. Instead head to your health food store for the fresh ground version and store it in your fridge.

How to enjoy peanuts in your healthy diet …

The bottom line is that peanuts are much more filling than many low fat snack options. And whilst it’s true that most of the benefits of peanuts can be found in fruits, vegetables and other less fatty natural ingredients, we also need to remember that sometimes enjoying a little of our favourite food can reward the subconscious part of our brain and keep us more on track for the long haul.

Just remember to consume peanuts in moderation using these tips:

• Spread a thin serve of nut butter on 100% rye sourdough
• Sprinkle a handful of peanuts over your salad at lunch – max. 15 nuts
• Snack on celery sticks with 100% fresh ground nut butter – max 2 level tablespoons (about 200 calories)
• Or simply enjoy a small handful of peanuts as a healthy snack – max 30 nuts