Roasted Peanuts

Name: Roasted peanuts — peanuts cooked with dry heat or oil until golden and crunchy, sold in the shell, shelled, salted, unsalted or flavoured. They are the most common way peanuts are eaten as a snack.

Description

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is native to South America, where it was domesticated thousands of years ago, and is botanically a legume rather than a true nut, because the pods ripen underground. Spanish and Portuguese traders carried it to Africa, Asia and North America, where it became a staple crop.

Roasting dries the nuts and triggers browning (Maillard) reactions that create the familiar toasty, nutty taste and crisp texture. Peanuts can be dry-roasted, with hot air and no added oil, or oil-roasted, and are often seasoned with salt, honey or spices. Roasted peanuts are a staple of bars, sports grounds and picnics around the world, and the base of most peanut butter.

Main nutrition value

Roasted peanuts are a source of protein, healthy unsaturated fat, fibre, vitamin E and niacin, and are energy-dense.

How best to be consumed

Roasted peanuts are a convenient snack, best in small portions.

1. Eat a small handful as a snack, which is enough to feel filling.
2. Choose dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts if you want to limit oil and salt.
3. Chop over salads, noodle dishes and curries, or bake into granola and cookies.
4. Roast your own raw peanuts in a low oven to control salt and oil.
5. Store in an airtight container in a cool place to keep them crunchy and stop them going rancid.

Overconsumption could cause…

Roasted peanuts are healthy in sensible portions, but easy to over-eat.

1. Peanut allergy, one of the most common and potentially severe food allergies, so peanuts must be avoided completely by anyone allergic, and labels checked for cross-contact.
2. Weight gain from eating large handfuls, since peanuts are very calorie-dense.
3. Excess salt or added sugar in flavoured or coated peanuts, such as honey-roasted or cocktail types.
4. Mould toxins (aflatoxins) from old or damp nuts, so discard any that smell musty or taste bitter.

GroupsPeanutsLegume familyHigh fibreHigh saturated fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in magnesiumRich in potassiumCooked

Related foodsSalted PeanutsUnsalted PeanutsGroundnutsRaw PeanutsPeanut ButterPeanut Flour

Wikipedia — Peanut, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut