National Peanut Month is a great time to focus on Peanut Nutrition. USDA released the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) at the end of last year. The DGAs are notable to the peanut industry for the following reasons:
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For the first time ever, the DGAs have included nutrition guidance for infants and children 0-24 months and for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
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Highlighting these groups includes the early introduction of peanut foods and eating peanuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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The guidance for introducing peanut foods is more inclusive to all babies, stating “Introducing peanut-containing foods in the first year reduces the risk that an infant will develop a food allergy to peanuts.”
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Pregnant and lactating women are encouraged to eat a diverse diet and not to eliminate potentially allergenic foods as a way to prevent food allergies in their child.
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The new DGAs also help us highlight that peanuts are part of a healthy diet for life. Research confirms that peanuts provide the body with protective benefits that are essential for healthy aging.
Heart Health: Peanuts provide benefits for the most important muscle in the body, the heart. Peanuts have an FDA-approved heart health claim that says, “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz. per day of most nuts, including peanuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Diabetes Management: Peanuts and peanut butter are great for people with diabetes because they have been shown to have a low glycemic index and are full of good nutrients, along with being on many recommended food lists, including the American Diabetes Association.
Skin Health: Vitamin E, found in peanuts, can help reduce build-up of free radicals from the sun. Free radicals speed up conditions related to the aging process. Two tablespoons of peanut butter provides 15% DV of Vitamin E.
Vision Health: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in the U.S., affects nearly 11 million people ages 60 and older. A 2017 study found that eating peanuts is associated with a lowered risk of AMD. (Source: Chiu C-J, Change M-L, Li T, Gensler G, Taylor A. Visualization of dietary patterns and their associations with age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017;58:XXX-XXX. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.16-20454)
What’s all this great information tell us? To keep eating peanuts, peanut butter and other peanut products!
Need some help finding recipes? Visit peanutbutterlovers.com to find delicious peanut recipes for breakfast, lunch, snack and more.
This information was provided by the National Peanut Board (NPB). The NPB works to improve the economic condition of USA peanut farmers and their families through compelling promotion and groundbreaking research.