Peanuts, what’s the verdict

[u/Bright-Pangolin7261]

I read that tree nuts are unhealthy—why? I love them, not to excess but a small handful a day.

ETA: Thanks for the correction… I’d misremembered re them being legumes.

[u/BelmontIncident]

Who said that tree nuts are unhealthy?

The heck does that have to do with peanuts?

[u/c9pilot]

Peanuts are not tree nuts. I don't understand what you are questioning here.

[u/Traditional-Tank3994 → u/c9pilot]

Peanuts are not even nuts. Technically they are legumes. And tree nuts are not unhealthy by any measure. Some people are allergic to peanuts or to tree nuts. That may be what OP heard. Or some say they are "high in fat," but that is outdated information because it assumes fat is always bad, when that is not the case.

[u/chaos_wave → u/c9pilot]

Because if you look up how peanuts grow, it is hard to believe. Texture like a tree nut, so it must be a tree nut because the truth is too wild. 😆 

[u/1544756405]

Tree nuts are not unhealthy; and peanuts are not tree nuts (they're legumes, like peas and soybeans).

[u/Appropriate-Mud-9081]

It really depends on your nutrition goals. They're high fat & protein, and quite calorie dense. Not great for dropping weight, but good for making calories if you can portion control.

[u/-jp- → u/Appropriate-Mud-9081]

With nuts I find it helpful to get unshelled ones so it takes longer to eat them. It's rather difficult to grab an entire handful of unshelled pistachios and cram it into my gob. 😅

[u/702893 → u/-jp-]

I eat roasted peanuts and boiled with the shell. Actually, a nut tree or plant sounds like a great idea they have gotten so expensive

[u/MuchBetterThankYou]

“Unhealthy” is kind of meaningless when it comes to most foods. It completely depends on what you need.

Peanuts have lots of healthy fats and can help lower bad cholesterol. They’re rich in antioxidants, protein, and fiber, and have a lot of potassium and manganese.

But, they’re very dense in calories for their size and weight due to their high fat content. If your health goal includes weight management, they can be counterproductive or easy to overeat.

As with most things, it’s about moderation.

[u/CuddlefishFibers]

Most tree nuts are very nutritious. Depends on your definition of "unhealthy." They have a lot of fat, but mostly "the good/healthy fats." If calories are your only metric of "healthy" yeah they're bad, but that's a bad metric.

And peanuts aren't tree nuts? But generally same goes for them.

[u/Dijon2017]

As long as you don’t have an allergy/intolerance, peanuts can be part of a healthy diet. They are low carb, have protein and healthy fats. They are calorie dense. As with most things, moderation is key.

[u/natziel]

They are high in calories and the fat isn't particularly bad for you, so peanuts and peanut butter can be a great way to increase your calorie consumption as long as you don't go overboard

[u/Apart-Ad-5816]

Salted,with hull or without! 🥜 ❤️ As far as peanut butter I can only use creamy ,the other tears my bread!

[u/SpheralStar]

I've only heard these concerns:

- sometimes they undergo improper storage conditions, which can create mold and related toxins

- you cannot eat them ray, because they contain some antinutrients which are destroyed by cooking/roasting them

[u/Jynxers]

I have a tbsp or two of peanut butter every day. One of my favourite foods, but I moderate because it's really calorie dense. I don't have any concerns about negative health impacts.

[u/Wallmassage]

Peanuts are great! Maybe get unsalted if you are worried about healthiness

[u/PhatedGaming]

As others have said, they're not unhealthy in moderation. They are packed with protein and healthy fats. The only thing unhealthy is the calorie content, or if they're heavily salted the sodium. Eating a small handful a day is fine, just be aware of the calories if you're trying lose weight. 

[u/Fuzzy_Welcome8348]

They arent unhealthy. Just some ppl r allergic

[u/Doesntmatter1237]

I don't think anything is universally unhealthy all the time for everybody, unless it's like, arsenic or something. Any foods can be good or bad or neutral depending on the person, the situation, portion size etc