The top benefits, nutritional values, Uses and storage of Peanuts

The top benefits, nutritional values, Uses and storage of Peanuts

Peanuts has been originated in south america. It’s scientific name is Arachis hypogaea. Peanuts are legumes but are considered as nuts. They belong to the Fabaceae family, in the genus, Arachis. Some of the common names are groundnut, earthnuts, goobers etc. Peanuts are rich in nutrients like proteins and and fats. It helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and promotes weight loss.

Managing blood sugar levels

Peanuts reduces the risk of diabetes. It also helps to maintain the sugar levels in the body.

Weight loss

Peanuts helps to maintain the weight. It is high in calories and fat, but it does not increases the weight of the body. Peanuts reduce the risk of obesity as it contains monounsaturated fat and proteins which burn the calories.

Heart health

Peanuts protects from heart disease. It contains a lot of nutrients like magnesium, niacin, copper, oleic acid, and multiple antioxidants.

Gallstone prevention

Peanuts reduce the risk of  gallstones in both men and women. It also lowers the cholesterol level in the body.

Peanuts can be eaten at any time of day.  It goes great with apples, celery, bananas and other fresh fruits and vegetables.

Uses of peanuts

  • Taking a combination of two to three tablespoons each of peanut butter and blackstrap molasses in the morning is one of the most popular peanut remedies for constipation.
  •  Regularly consuming a handful of peanuts, preferably without removing their red skin can prevent heart disease.
  •  Intake of two tablespoons of peanut butter on a regular basis is a simple and easy home remedy for osteoporosis
  •  Peanut benefits in uplifting the mood and relieving stress. Thus, you can have a sandwich prepared by spreading peanut butter and strawberry jam or purple grape jelly on whole wheat bread.
  •  Applying a mixture of peanut butter and crushed cloves works as a great natural cure for toothache.
  • Consuming a mixture of peanut butter and a small amount of sugar improves memory.
  •  Having a tablespoon of peanut butter a few times can help stop hiccups. However, avoid consuming peanut butter when having canker sores
  •  Taking a tablespoon of peanut oil daily in the morning for about 15 days serves as a natural treatment for tapeworms.
  •  Massaging a combination of two tablespoons of peanut butter and a teaspoon of Crisco on the affected area and washing it off after 15 minutes heals stretch marks. Follow this therapy three times in a day for a few weeks.
  • Peanut butter also helps in getting rid of dry skin. For this, you can rub peanut butter on skin and leave it for about 15-20 minutes. Finally, wipe it off and rinse with lukewarm water.
  •  You can nourish your skin by applying a mixture of two teaspoons of unrefined peanut oil and five drops of rosehip seed oil to cure wrinkles.
  • Combine equal parts of peanut oil and camphorated oil and massage the solution on skin to get rid of scar tissue.
  •  Simply massaging peanut oil is helpful in relieving issues like fatigue, low vitality, and poor circulation.

How to buy and store peanuts

Peanuts are available in the market in different forms like shelled, unshelled, salted, and sweetened can be found for purchase. Buy the peanuts which are  free from cracks, mold, and spots and free of rancid smell. Make sure that peanuts  feature compact, off-white color healthy-looking shell, uniform in size, and feel heavy in hand. Peanuts should be stored  inside airtight container and kept in the refrigerator to avoid them turn rancid.

Ways to use peanuts

Peanuts can be used in a variety of ways.

  • Peanut kernels usually eaten as is, by cracking them with firm pressure between fingers or using clippers, or nutcracker machine. The nuts can also be enjoyed roasted, boiled, salted, or sweetened.
  • They are nutty, yet pleasantly sweet in taste. Roasting enhances taste, augments antioxidants levels like p-coumaric acid, and helps remove toxic aflatoxin.
  • Roasted and crushed kernels often sprinkled over salads, desserts, particularly sundaes and other dairy-based preparations.
  • Boiled peanuts possess unique flavor and taste. Boiling, in fact, enriches their nutritional and antioxidants profile.
  • Bumbu kacang (peanut sauce) is a well-known preparation that employs fried peanuts, palm sugar, shallot, galangal, garlic, tamarind, lemon juice, lemongrass, salt, chilli, pepper, sweet soy sauce, ground together and mixed with water to semi-solid texture.
  • Peanut butter is a food paste prepared from roasted nuts, with or without the addition of oil. It is popular throughout the world and commonly used as dip/spread. Peanut milk is also a favorite lactose-free healthy drink.
  • Peanut “chutney” or paste, made from these nuts, chili peppers, salt, coriander leaves, garlic and mustard seeds, is a popular dip among South Indian, Sri Lankan regions.
    Peanut oil is another healthy source of edible cooking oil like soy or olive oils. It is widely employed in cooking for its aromatic flavor, especially in the many South Indian States, and Sri Lanka.
  • Sprinkle peanuts onto tossed salads.
  • Add peanuts to healthy sautéed chicken and vegetables.
  • Make a simple southeastern Asian salad by combining sliced green cabbage, grated ginger, Serrano chilis and peanuts. Toss with olive oil and soy sauce dressing.
  • Instead of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, try peanut butter and banana, peanut butter and honey, or peanut butter and chopped apple, pear and/or raisins.

Season in which peanut is available

Peanuts are available in the month of december

How to make Chatpata Peanut Salad – Peanut Chaat Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup Roasted Peanuts (Moongphali)             , steamed and skin peeled

1 Green Chilli, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Green Chutney (Coriander & Mint)

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

1 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder

Salt, to taste

Coriander (Dhania) Leaves, a small bunch finely chopped

Method

  1. To begin making Chatpata Peanut Salad/ Peanut Chaat, prep all the ingredients.
  2. Prepare Green Chutney.
  3. Toss all the ingredients for the peanut chaat in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Adjust the seasonings to taste of the peanut chaat and serve.
  5. Serve Chatpata Peanut Salad as a starter to your party and pair it along with a main course of Spicy Paneer Pulao With Vegetables, Almond and Cashew Nut Mushroom Curry and Dahi Vada and make your party come alive.

How to make peanut chutney recipe

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup peanut / groundnut

  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 1 tsp chana dal
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 green chilli
  • small piece tamarind
  • salt to taste
  • ½ cup water, or as required

FOR TEMPERING:

  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • pinch of hing / asafoetida
  • 1 dried red chilli, broken
  • few curry leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. firstly, dry roast ¾ cup peanut on medium flame.
  2. roast till the peanuts start to separate the skin.
  3. allow to cool down and remove the skin completely.
  4. transfer the peanuts to the blender.
  5. further, add 2 tsp of oil and roast 1 tsp urad dal and 1 tsp chana dal.
  6. furthermore, roast 1 green chilli and 2 cloves garlic till the blisters appear.
  7. transfer to the blender.
  8. also add in small piece tamarind and salt to taste.
  9. blend to smooth consistency adding ½ cup water, or as required.
  10. now prepare the tempering by heating 2 tsp oil.
  11. also add in 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, pinch of hing, 1 dried red chilli and few curry leaves.
  12. allow the tempering to splutter.
  13. finally, pour the tempering over peanut chutney and serve along with idli or dosa.

Safety profile

Many people suffer from peanut allergy. People suffering from peanut allergy should avoid peanuts and peanuts products. Peanut allergy is considered as the one of the severe allergen. It is potentially life-threatening.

If not stored properly, peanuts can be contaminated with a species of mold called Aspergillus flavus that produces aflatoxin. The main symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning include loss of appetite and yellow discoloration of the eyes (jaundice), which are typical signs of liver problems. It can also cause some serious problems like liver failure and liver cancer.The risk of aflatoxin increases with warm and humid conditions, especially in the tropics.Aflatoxin contamination can be effectively prevented by properly drying peanuts after harvesting and keeping temperature and humidity low during storage

Fun facts about peanuts

  • It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
  • By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” in the United States must be at least 90 percent peanuts.
  • It takes fewer than 5 gallons of water to produce 1 ounce of peanuts.
  • The average peanut farm is 200 acres.
  • The Huffington Post (Sept. 2014) asked, “What makes the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Results show: 36% say strawberry jam is favorite (grape is 31%); favorite bread is white bread (54%); favorite type of peanut butter is smooth (56%) and a whopping 80% like their PB & J with the crust left on the sandwich. Discover why the PB&J is the best sandwich ever.
  • Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA – Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson and Georgia’s Jimmy Carter.
  • Astronaut Alan Shepard brought a peanut with him to the moon. Read about making a PB&J on the International Space Station.
  • Former President Bill Clinton says one of his favorite sandwiches is peanut butter and banana; also reported to have been the favorite of Elvis “the King” Presley.
  • There are six cities in the U.S. named Peanut: Peanut, California; Lower Peanut, Pennsylvania; Upper Peanut, Pennsylvania; Peanut, Pennsylvania, Peanut, Tennessee; and Peanut West Virginia.
  • According to Little Brownie Bakers, cookie bakers use about 230,000 pounds of peanut butter per week to bake Girl Scout Do-si-dos and Tagalongs. Click here for a peanut butter cookie recipe.
  • Women and children prefer creamy peanut butter, while most men opt for chunky.
  • People living on the East Coast prefer creamy peanut butter, while those on the West Coast prefer the crunchy style.
  • Boiled peanuts are considered a delicacy in the peanut growing areas of the South. Freshly harvested peanuts are boiled in a brine until they are of a soft bean-like texture.
  • Goober—a nickname for peanuts—comes from “nguba”, the Congo language name for peanut.
  • Peanuts are sometimes called “ground nuts” or “ground peas” because peanuts grow underground.
  • The nub between two peanut halves is an embryo. Learn more about how peanuts grow.
  • George Washington Carver was known as the “plant doctor” and the “grandfather of peanuts”. Though he did not invent peanut butter, he discovered many ways to use peanuts and innovative farming methods, including crop diversification and soil conservation.
  • There are four types of peanuts grown in the USA — Runner, Virginia, Spanish and Valencia.
  • The average American consumes more than six pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products each year.
  • Peanuts contribute more than $4 billion to the US economy each year.
  • March 8th is National Peanut Cluster Day.
  •  September 13th is National Peanut Day.
  • There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
  • Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA – Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
  • Grand Saline, TX holds the title for the world’s largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich weighing in at 1,342 pounds. Grand Saline outweighed Oklahoma City’s 900 pounds peanut butter and jelly sandwich in November 2010. Oklahoma City, OK had been the reigning champ since September 7, 2002.
  • Astronaut Alan B. Sheppard brought a peanut with him to the moon.
  • Tom Miller pushed a peanut to the top of Pikes Peak (14,100 feet) using his nose in 4 days, 23 hours, 47 minutes and 3 seconds.
  • Adrian Finch of Australia holds the Guinness World Record for peanut throwing, launching the lovable legume 111 feet and 10 inches in 1999 to claim the record.
  • As early as 1500 B.C., the Incas of Peru used peanuts as sacrificial offerings and entombed them with their mummies to aid in the spirit life.
  • Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.

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