Peanuts - Peanut, Peanut Butter (& Jelly!)

First, Peanuts are a legume, not a nut.  They are low on the carbohydrate glycemic scale. 

Many people are allergic to peanuts.

They do contain heart-healthy mono-saturated fats.  Peanuts have about the same amount of protein as soy.  Add protein to your peanut butter by adding brewer's yeast.

Next, conventional peanuts are grown with high level of pesticides. 

Most conventional brands of peanut butters contain additives including sugar, hydrogenated oils, and emulsifiers.  So first step is to avoid conventional peanut butter brands.

Organic brands have just peanuts or peanuts and salt.  Because of this, they may separate the oil to the top.  I turn the jar upside down for storing and then use my handheld mixer to mix it back all together.  Keep organic peanut butter in the refrigerator once opened.

Finally, when peanuts grow, they can harbor a carcinogenic mold that contains aflatoxin.  This goes for conventional and organic peanuts.  In fact, peanut farmers have a disproportionately high rate of cancer.  This mold grows on peanuts, pecans, pistachios, grains, soybeans, spices, walnuts and it can even grow on milk in warm humid soils.  Aflatoxin is known to cause liver cancer. 

A recent study found the highest levels of this toxin in health food store ground fresh peanut butters!

In dry climates, this mold has not been seen growing.  Valencia peanuts are grown in arid climates and don't contain this toxin.  Therefore, if we choose a peanut butter from a source in Arizona, we should be able to avoid this problem.   Mercola suggest we use Arrowhead Mills organic peanut butter.  Personally, we eat only this brand of peanut butter and we eat peanut butter in moderation.  We choose other nut butters for variety like Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, and Hazelnut Butter (one of my son's favorite since he thinks he's eating chocolate when he eats it - it's pairs so nicely with chocolate that now it's in him that it's one and the same!)

Delicious Organics carries great tasting nut butter brands!

Almond and Cashew Butter have a much better omega 6:3 fatty acid ratio.  Walnuts are a good source of Omega-3s.

Nuts are also a nice snack and a good source of protein.  Almonds and Walnuts mix very deliciously with raisins and apples as a snack or in a salad.