Introduction
An amusing ex-colleague while moaning about her paycheck once said: "You pay peanuts, you get monkeys". While the idiomatic expression seemed a bit amusing, literally speaking, you do get the picture that monkeys do like peanuts. And I suppose another name for the peanut is appropriately titled the 'monkey nut'.
Apart from being a nice little snack to go along with your beer or hard liquor (thus the name, beer nuts), the peanut is a nutritious nut that is enjoyed in so many forms.
It's amazing that such a tiny fruit or nut (or call it what you will) can pack a punch when it comes to calories in its various modern day offerings. And there's more…
Peanuts – Nutritional Value and Uses
Even though you would associate peanuts to a bar, men farting while consuming large amounts of beer and loud incoherent grumbling and cheering simultaneously at a football game watched on television (read: fun that could cost you healthwise but being fun all the same – what the hell, fun costs you, doesn't it?), its size barely gives away its nutritional value defying that age-old belief that 'more is more'.
To put it succinctly, peanuts have over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients, leaving me to state the obvious fact that they are indeed healthy for you.
As they are excellent sources of niacin, phosphorus, manganese, folate, magnesium, fiber, vitamin E and contain almost 25% protein (which is the highest than in any true nut) among several other nutrients listed here, there are several claims of health benefits that works well for just about anyone except those with an allergy to peanuts, of course.
Apart from the salted peanuts, peanut butter sandwiches, candy bars, peanut brittle, and shelled nuts that we're so used to, there are several other uses of peanuts in areas other than nutrition.
In some parts of the world, peanut oil and flour are used while for famine relief peanut-based paste is used to counter malnutrition. Low-grade peanuts and peanut oil also have industrial uses ranging from paints to soaps and other cosmetics to even being a potential fuel.
Benefits and Complications (The Pros and Cons)
Even though that there's misconception that peanuts are responsible for unwanted weight gain, nothing can be futher from the truth. The reason being that most of the fats in peanuts are 'good fats' with a negligible amount being bad. Protection from cardiovascular disease and cancer, lowering of cholesterol, increased brain health (really!!!) and improved blood flow are some of the benefits of peanuts. In short, the benefits far outweigh the downside, in terms of its nutritious value!
However (and there always is a however), for those with an allergy to peanuts the reactions can be mild to fatal, so one should be careful before touching peanuts, or even foods that have been processed through machines that have produced peanut products earlier.
The adverse reactions can manifest in any or with a combination of body systems such as the cardiovascular system, nervous system, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system and skin.
In some cases, even breathing the dust from peanuts can prove to be disastrous… and really there is no other option but to complete avoid peanuts for life!
In Closing
What occurs to me abundantly since, generally speaking, men love peanuts… perhaps just perhaps the theory of monkey-to-man can be justified. Seems like old habits die hard (yes, even good ones, like an affinity to peanuts)… without even burning a hole in your wallet, of course.
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
sad but true.
It’s looks like you covered it up nicely. I try to avoid eating peanuts beacuse I tend to get fatter when I eat them, but I’m human and I make mistakes..