Keep your body dry eating peanuts –

Metabolism steps on the accelerator

This means that the body spends energy faster, dissolving unwanted fats with great efficiency, according to North American research from Purdue University, in the city of Lafayette, Indiana.

Good fats flood the body

“The monounsaturated ones, for example, which include omega-3, are the ones that are most present in peanuts”, says Daniela Jobst, a functional nutritionist, from São Paulo. “This fatty acid has an anti-inflammatory action, and this prevents body fat, which is an inflammatory process, from accumulating mainly in the waistline.” Phytosterols, vegetable fat similar to cholesterol, but which, unlike this, is not produced by the body, also join the anti-belly shock troops, reducing blood glucose levels. Result: you lose weight.

Appetite is under tight rein

“Peanuts help to control the consumption of calories from other foods”, explains nutritionist Vanderlí Marchiori, vice-president of the Associação Paulista de Phytotherapy. That’s because, in addition to good fat, peanuts are rich in vitamin E (5 milligrams in three tablespoons, no less than a third of our daily needs), another nutrient that makes you feel full. One more explanation for the slimming effect of the snack is its low glycemic index. Like all carbohydrates, peanuts turn into sugar in the bloodstream. But this process happens slowly. Great because, this way, the pancreas is not forced to manufacture a large amount of insulin. In moderate doses, this hormone, responsible for removing sugar from circulation, does not show its most perverse side: that of increasing appetite and leading to the accumulation of fat. “The slimming attribute of peanuts is also due to the good dose of fiber, which fills the stomach and wards off hunger”, completes Daniela Jobst.

soothes the anxiety

Studies show that there is a link between nervousness and weight gain. Irritability also interferes with hormones that trigger belly bulge. The secret that keeps you calm and keeps the fat off lies in arginine (see Arginine, Pleasure to meet you), a protein particle that promotes relaxation.

living proof

Even on an unrestricted calorie diet, peanuts have proven their worth as a food that doesn’t tip the scales. North American research divided volunteers into three groups. In the first, participants were given a diet that was 500 calories less from fat. Those same 500 calories were replaced with peanut consumption. That is, the total energy remained the same, changing only the source of calories. The second group of volunteers consumed a common diet, which was increased by 500 calories from peanuts. The third group was able to introduce the food into their diet as they wished. In none of the three classes, there was significant weight gain. According to the researchers, this feat is due to the reduction of appetite and the acceleration of metabolism.

Attention!

That doesn’t mean you can eat peanuts until you’re full. One cup of the snack (140 g) adds up to 500 calories. Be content with a tablespoon (30 g), which has 150. “In that amount, you can eat every day and get all the benefits”, guarantees Daniela Jobst. But she warns: “Food can cause allergic reactions, such as headache and gastric discomfort, in more susceptible people.” In Brazil, however, statistics show that less than 5% of the population suffers from this type of allergy. “For this reason, the food is also indicated for children”, says Vanderlí Marchiori.

The healthiest way to consume peanuts is to roast them at home for ten minutes. “That way, you avoid excess salt and hydrogenated vegetable fat, which accompany the industrialized product”, guides Daniela Jobst. The nutritionist also suggests unsweetened peanut butter, found in health food stores. If you want, you can do it at home too. Just process the nut with a few drops of vegetable oil, in sufficient quantities to obtain a creamy consistency.

nutritious snack

Peanut is a nut that, as the name suggests, carries oils and fats. But it can also be classified as a legume, as it is a relative of beans and soybeans. In addition to helping you lose weight, it has good nutrients for your body:

· Gives a boost to the libido, as the good doses of zinc and vitamin E help to produce sex hormones.

· Reduces PMS symptoms thanks to the high content of magnesium, a natural relaxant that helps to reduce irritability by regulating nervous reactions. Memory also improves.

· Ensures the health and beauty of the hair, as magnesium participates in the formation of proteins, such as keratin, which make up the hair strands.

· Relieves cramps due to potassium.

· Strengthens the bones, a feat of potassium and also magnesium (without the duo, calcium does not go to the bones).

· Blinds the body’s defenses again because of potassium and magnesium, which together form a shield against viruses and bacteria.

· Protects the heart, as phytosterols sweep LDL, the bad cholesterol, from the arteries and improve HDL, the good cholesterol levels.

hidden danger

Careful! Peanuts can hide the risk of aflatoxins, substances produced by fungi, which proliferate during drying, storage and packaging and open gaps in the body for the development of diseases such as hepatitis B and liver cancer. With the naked eye, it is impossible to know if the food is contaminated. Therefore, the recommendation is not to consume peanuts sold by street vendors. For greater security, look for the Fundação Pró-Amendoim seal on the packaging of industrialized products, which accompanies all stages of production – from planting to packaging. “Abicab (Brazilian Association of Chocolate, Cocoa, Peanut, Candy and Derivatives) closely follows the quality control procedures of peanut and derivatives manufacturers, guaranteeing consumers products free of contamination”, explains André Guedes, vice-president of the Abicab’s peanut sector.