Category: Vegetables

The Peanut Plant The yellow, pea-like blossoms are self-pollinating. Once fertilized, the delicate petals fall away. The stalks (called pegs) just under the ovaries then elongate and bend toward the earth, growing into the soil. When underground, the ovary at the tip of each stalk enlarges to form a peanut pod. How are peanut plants […]

Peanuts are high in protein, as well as magnesium, vitamin E and folate. But peanuts have a downside — some people find they can be hard to digest, and they may cause side effects such as gas, bloating and diarrhea. Your body may have a hard time breaking them down, especially if you have too […]

Africans were the first people to introduce peanuts to North America beginning in the 1700s. Records show that it wasn’t until the early 1800s that peanuts were grown as a commercial crop in the U.S. They were first grown in Virginia and used mainly for oil, food and as a cocoa substitute. When were peanuts […]

Peanuts are also a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid that may enhance sleep quality ( 15 , 16 ). Plus, your body uses tryptophan to produce compounds like serotonin and melatonin, both of which are also important for regulating sleep ( 17 , 18 ). Are peanuts good before bed? Yes! And eating […]

Peanuts certainly qualify to be part of vegan and vegetarian diets. They provide important healthy nutrients and are loaded with plant based protein. As with any vegetarian diet , reading labels before purchasing is always advised. Why do vegans not eat peanuts? Peanuts contain certain antinutrients, which are compounds that interfere with the absorption of […]

Peanut allergy occurs when your immune system mistakenly identifies peanut proteins as something harmful. Direct or indirect contact with peanuts causes your immune system to release symptom-causing chemicals into your bloodstream. When did peanut allergies become so common? Why peanut reactions have become ‘almost epidemic’—and what to do about food allergies. A study from the […]

Peanuts contain magnesium and potassium—two minerals that help control your blood pressure. The fiber and protein in peanuts are helpful, as well. A study shows that eating peanuts regularly helps decrease blood pressure, even among individuals with high blood pressure: “… Does eating peanuts cause high blood pressure? Peanuts contain some sodium and even more […]

Even though “nut” is in its name, a peanut is actually a legume. Like soybeans, lentils, and other legumes, peanuts are edible seeds that grow in pods. Still, most people think of them as nuts, along with tree nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts. Are peanuts are beans? Peanuts are legumes, which are edible […]

The term ‘monkey nuts’ describes peanuts with the shell or pod intact. Are monkey nuts and peanuts the same thing? Peanuts are known by multiple names like earth nuts, groundnuts, monkey nuts and goober nuts. What is this? The term ‘monkey nuts’ is often used in common parlance to denote the peanut pod; the bambara […]