Unsalted Peanuts

Name: Unsalted peanuts — peanuts, usually roasted, that have no added salt. They are sold shelled or in the shell, and are the best choice for people watching their sodium intake.

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.

Unsalted peanuts are simply peanuts roasted (or sometimes raw) without a coating of salt, and they taste mild, sweet and nutty. They are more commonly sold in health food shops and the dried-fruit and nut aisle, and are the preferred base for homemade peanut butter, satay and cooking, where the cook wants to control the seasoning.

Main nutrition value

Unsalted peanuts provide plant protein, healthy unsaturated fat, fibre, vitamin E and niacin, with only a trace of natural sodium.

How best to be consumed

Unsalted peanuts are a good everyday snack and cooking ingredient.

1. Eat a small handful as a filling snack, perhaps with fruit.
2. Use in homemade satay sauce, stir-fries, salads and baking, where you control the seasoning.
3. Grind into your own peanut butter without added salt or sugar.
4. Add to trail mix with seeds and unsweetened dried fruit.
5. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or the fridge, since without salt they go stale a little faster.

Overconsumption could cause…

Unsalted peanuts are a healthy choice in sensible portions, but still energy-dense and a major allergen.

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. Mould toxins (aflatoxins) from old or damp nuts, so discard any that smell musty or taste bitter.
4. Choking in young children, for whom whole peanuts are not suitable.

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

Related foodsRoasted PeanutsSalted PeanutsGroundnutsRaw PeanutsPeanut ButterPeanut Flour

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