Unfortunately, certain foods change throughout time. It’s understandable for someone to want a healthy and natural food, not something modified. Considering that, you’ll be glad to know that peanuts contain no genetically modified organisms. In fact, the peanuts in your home are 99.9% identical to its ancestors. With that in mind, you might be surprised at how beneficial the peanut truly is. Here are six surprising health benefits of peanuts.

  1. Helps Increase Weight Loss

    If you’re wanting to lose weight, it’s important to know how important it is to increase your protein intake. Considering that, you’ll want to know that the Food and Drug Administration officially considers peanuts to be an excellent source of protein. In fact, a handful of peanuts contains nearly seven grams of protein. In addition, there is even peanut protein powder available.
  2. Reduces Bad Cholesterol

    Many doctors tell patients to keep an eye on their cholesterol levels. You certainly don’t want a lot of cholesterol floating in your bloodstream. One of the main peanut benefits is that this food contains good cholesterol. However, you’ll want to be aware that there are both good and bad forms of this fatty substance. Considering that, you’ll be glad to know that the good cholesterol in peanuts helps reduce bad cholesterol levels throughout your body.
  3. Gets Rid of Depression

    It’s likely that you’ve enjoyed the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich many times throughout your life. This iconic sandwich has long been called a comfort food. These foods, often ones you’ve had as a child, bring back feelings of happiness. One reason for this could be due to the fact that peanuts have been shown to increase serotonin levels. A lack of serotonin in the body has often been linked to someone suffering from depression.
  4. Works as a Natural Anti Inflammatory

    There is a wide range of conditions that can cause someone to feel inflammation in certain areas of the body. One of the most common diseases known to cause inflammation is arthritis. While there are many ways to treat inflammation, it’s understandable not to want purchase pills for this condition. Considering that, you’ll be glad to know that the peanuts likely sitting in your pantry work extremely well to treat inflamed joints.
  5. Slows the Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease

    There are certain unfortunate conditions that many are susceptible to as they age. With that in mind, you’ll want to know that one of the major peanut benefits is the ability for this food to fight against Alzheimer’s. This is because peanuts contain high amounts of resveratrol. Numerous studies have found that resveratrol can reduce cell damage throughout the entire body.
  6. Protects Your Skin

    You’ve probably seen the wide range of expensive anti aging products on the market. If you want to avoid spending money on products that may or may not work, consider eating a handful of peanuts. This food protects the cells responsible for producing collagen. Having an increased amount of collagen helps to fill in fine lines on the skin.

To summarize, there are a considerable amount of important peanut benefits. From losing weight to fighting against many types of diseases, the peanut is a food that stands out among many others. There’s certainly little doubt that this food remains extremely popular throughout the United States. In fact, statistics show that the average person in the United States consumes over six pounds of peanut products annually. Whether you prefer a handful of peanuts or a delicious peanut butter sandwich, there are many benefits to be had from eating a peanut.