Benefits Of Peanuts

Learn more about the humble but tasty little peanut as you explore its top seven benefits, including portability, versatility, and heart-healthy perks. Most people know how delicious peanuts are, but not everyone understands the peanut’s many benefits. While we think the peanut’s perks are countless, we’ve rounded up the top seven to pique your interest.

1. The shell is easy to open. Some nuts have a hard shell that requires a cracking tool or a strong fingernail to open. Not so with peanuts. These soft yet protective shells can be opened with minimal effort: Simply pick up the peanut and squeeze or pinch the indentation near the very end, not the one in the middle. Soft, boiled raw natural peanuts are even easier to shell. Or forgo the shell all together and just enjoy ready-to-eat gourmet peanuts right out of the can.

2. Perfectly portable peanuts go anywhere. One of the best benefits of peanuts is how easy they are to take with you, so you can eat them wherever you go. On the beach, at the park, in a car, or out of your lunchbox, peanuts are the perfect traveling companion. Pick up a peanut snack pack for instant nourishment anywhere.

3. Protein is packed into every nut. Peanuts are rich in plant-based proteins, the building blocks of muscles and cells. The protein in peanuts promotes muscle health and growth, especially beneficial during strength training. And the benefits of peanut’s protein can help prevent muscle loss when you’re dieting to lose weight.

4. Peanuts are low in carbs. A quarter cup serving of peanuts contains around 3g net carbs, which makes them good for a keto-friendly diet. Being low carb but high in fat, protein, and fiber gives peanuts a low glycemic index (GI), so they break down slowly and won’t cause a spike in blood sugar. Low carb, low GI peanuts can benefit people with diabetes when eaten as part of a good, healthy diet.

5. Versatility is a defining peanut characteristic. Peanuts are masters of flexibility. Keep a can or bag of peanuts in your pantry and you’ll never lack for a savory supper staple, decadent dessert base, or a dynamic snack. Peanuts can be:

• Salty, sweet, spicy, or savory—just about any flavor can enhance the taste of a peanut.
• Roasted, boiled, toasted, blanched, or raw—any way you prefer your peanut is the right way to eat it.
• Made into nut butters, powders, or enjoyed straight out of the shell, the plucky peanut offers endless culinary possibilities.

6. Peanuts evoke feelings of nostalgia. Peanuts have been a popular snack sold in ballparks across America since 1895 and they’re immortalized in the song “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” written in 1908. Even those who don’t frequent the ballpark can carry on the tradition of eating feel-good peanuts at home. And Hampton Farms peanuts are 100% grown in the USA, continuing this great American legacy.

7. Peanuts give your heart something to love. Peanuts are packed with antioxidants that may lower the risk of heart disease in those who consume them as part of a healthy diet. Peanuts also contain vitamins, minerals, and good fats that may lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, another heart-healthy benefit.

Enjoy a peanut snack every day to reap the benefits of this powerful little legume. Learn more about peanuts, including where they come from and how they are grown, when you explore our helpful blog.

Hampton Farms has been the leading supplier of the freshest, best quality roast and raw peanuts from seed to shelf since 1917 so you can enjoy them in-shell, out of shell, salted, unsalted, or any way you like them.