Mythbusters: Peanuts and Aflatoxin March 17, 2016| Author: Guest| Posted in: Nutrition & Wellness Peanut Mythbusters By Dr. Andrew Craig, American Peanut Council Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring byproduct of mold that affects many crops. However, rigorous food safety measures mean the risk of a consumer being exposed to aflatoxin in American peanut products is very low indeed. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): To date, there has never been a human illness outbreak caused by aflatoxins in the US, where foods are carefully regulated and inspected to prevent such an occurrence.[1] To reach the consumer safely, food grown in soil must be harvested, stored, transported and processed to high standards. Failure to do that can lead to contamination if moulds originating in the soil produce a toxic chemical called aflatoxin. Staple world crops including maize, sorghum, wheat, millet, cocoa beans, peanuts and tree nuts, sunflower seeds, cassava, peppers, rice, figs and some spices may become aflatoxin contaminated, particularly when stressed and then stored improperly. Drought and excessive heat make growing plants more susceptible to disease and post-harvest problems. Aflatoxin Internationally Parts of Africa and Asia have experienced serious health problems linked to high levels of aflatoxin in locally grown crops. This does not happen in the United States because American peanut growers and processors use rigorous government-enforced production, storage, and inspection standards to ensure that aflatoxin risk is minimized in human and animal food. The European Union recognizes the effectiveness of US aflatoxin control and testing procedures by accepting US Department of Agriculture food safety certificates for imported US grown peanuts and peanut products without further testing. To assist parts of the world where peanut production methods need improvement, the US peanut industry works with farmers in other countries to raise their growing and processing standards and reduce aflatoxin health risks. Eliminating aflatoxin on the farm and during crop storage is the key to preventing contamination. Food regulatory bodies in North America and Europe recognize that aflatoxin is a naturally occurring substance and can never be reduced to “zero.” Human health is protected by meeting low internationally set safety thresholds so that a person’s chances of exposure to aflatoxin are minimized. Rigorous Risk Reduction Since first being identified more than 50 years ago, agricultural scientists and the US peanut industry have devoted considerable resources to ensure that aflatoxin is kept below agreed limits. Rigorous cleaning, shelling, sorting and blanching (removal of peanut skins) are key steps in identifying and eliminating damaged peanuts which may have developed aflatoxin from getting into the food supply. For products such as peanut butter, the FDA conducts random checks and removes products from sale that fail food safety standards. We are not aware of any instance of this involving peanut products made from US-grown peanuts. Aflatoxin does not form in peanut butter once it is packed in containers, so if the production process is safe then the final product will be too when it reaches the consumer. [1] Food and Drug Administration, 2012. Why the Omega-3/Omega-6 Ratio May Not Matter After All Unsaturated FatsWhen it comes to omega-6 fats, the quick and dirty soundbite resonating throughout the ancestral health community has been “omega-6 fats are inflammatory, omega-3s are anti-inflammatory.” Years ago, I wrote a post saying essentially the same thing – that an excessive intake of omega-6s and inadequate intake of omega-3s predispose us to an exaggerated inflammatory response. This sounds right. And the huge discrepancy between the estimated ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in ancestral human diets – 1:3, 1:2, or even 1:1 – and the ratio in modern diets – ranging from 1:25 to 1:10 – just looks pathological. Then, bringing up the rear, you’ve got Bill Lands’ work showing that human populations with low levels of omega-3s and higher levels of omega-6s in their tissues are at greater risk for many diseases like heart disease. It all seems clear cut, no? Well, kinda. While my general recommendation remains to limit omega-6 fats from vegetable oils, there’s more to the omega-6 story. First, let’s examine the main argument for the importance of the omega-3/omega-6 ratio. The main argument for the importance of the balanced dietary ratio is that too much linoleic acid (the primary omega-6 fat) increases inflammatory precursors above and beyond the physiological norm, leading to an exacerbated inflammatory response, a general state of systemic inflammation, and the development of the various diseases with an inflammatory root. Here’s how it’s supposed to work: Linoleic acid converts to arachidonic acid (AA), a precursor for inflammatory cytokines. Alpha linolenic acid (ALA; plant omega-3) converts to the anti-inflammatory precursors EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids we usually associate with fish oil. Both of these conversions occur along the same rate-limited enzymatic pathway, which means they “compete” for a spot. If we eat too much linoleic acid, the story goes, our tissue levels of AA will spike and predispose us to excessive inflammation and all the disease fallout that entails. Actually, increasing dietary linoleic acid doesn’t really increase the tissue level of arachidonic acid. Instead, since both linoleic acid and ALA use the same conversion pathway, an excess of linoleic acid does inhibit the conversion of ALA into EPA and DHA, leading to potential deficiencies in the latter nutrients and promoting an inflammatory environment – if you don’t eat preformed EPA and DHA in the form of seafood, pastured animal products, and/or supplements to make up for it. That’s right: people for whom a fish dinner means battered and fried tilapia sticks are at risk of an inflammatory omega-3/omega-6 ratio, but people following a Primal way of eating are probably safe. Just eating some salmon, sardines, mussels, and pastured eggs can undo a lot of the damage caused when linoleic acid hogs the conversion pathway. Linoleic acid, however, is not directly increasing tissue omega-6 levels. It appears as if the problem with low ratios of omega-3 to omega-6 is the lack of omega-3, not so much the omega-6. In studies that replace saturated fats with omega-6 fats, the only ones that show benefit are those that also include omega-3s with the omega-6s, while those that replace SFA with just omega-6 increase the risk of death. As long as you’re eating enough fish and other seafood, pastured animals and their fat (and eggs), and/or high quality fish oil supplements, whole food sources of omega-6 shouldn’t increase inflammation. The ratio is a helpful way to monitor your omega-3 and omega-6 intake, but it’s not a physiological law. That’s not our only issue with linoleic acid, though. Where do we get our omega-6 fats? No, not you reading this. Not the guy who asks that his eggs be cooked in butter or olive oil at the diner. Not the lady who shudders at the sight of one of those three gallon Costco jugs of corn oil. Where do most people living in industrialized nations get their omega-6s? You know, “normal” people. Americans get almost 70% of their PUFA (mostly omega-6) from oils, shortening, and margarine and just 6% from beans, seeds, and nuts, 1% from eggs, and 13% from meat, poultry, and fish as of 2004 (PDF). So when we talk about omega-6 intake, we’re really talking about french fries (cooked in vegetable oil), packaged pastries (made with shortening), and processed, high-sugar, high-(vegetable)fat junk food intake. If most of our omega-6 is coming from the linoleic acid found in cooking oils and processed baked goods, most of the omega-6 we’re eating is highly oxidized, rancid, and maybe even worse. In one study, just 20 frying sessions were enough to drastically alter sunflower oil, oxidizing the fats and creating cyclic fatty acid monomers which – when eaten – affect fatty acid oxidation, carbohydrate metabolism, and liver enzymes. Dietary linoleic acid that has been oxidized via heat has been shown to directly lead to atherosclerosis. To determine how often most restaurants actually change their frying oil our for new oil, I looked at a topic called “How often do you clean your deep fryer?” in a popular online forum for diner owners. Responses varied from “every day” to “weekly,” with some topping off their oil as they went or relying mostly on filtration of solids. Either way, it’s not very reassuring. The susceptibility to oxidation may be why diets high in linoleic acid have also been linked to increased oxidized LDL, while diets high in monounsaturated fat – like the traditional Greek diet, rich in extra virgin olive oil – produce considerably lower levels of oxidized LDL. Omega-6 fat is thus “bad” because the most abundant source of it in our diet is heated vegetable oil, because it’s so susceptible to oxidation, because excessive heating can even create trans-fats out of it, because it’s a proxy for processed junk food, and because it contributes to oxidized lipids in our blood. But what about whole foods that contain linoleic acid? Are they to be avoided? Well, let’s look at a few and see what the research says. Almonds Both reviled for its linoleic acid and beloved for its easy metamorphosis into low-carb baking meal, the almond assumes a precarious position in the Primal community. But it’s much more than the bag of linoleic acid. An almond contains vitamin E, magnesium, prebiotic fiber, and protective polyphenols. Why does this matter, and how does it relate to the claimed health effects of excess linoleic acid? •Magnesium deficiency is strongly related to lipid peroxidation in vivo – the very same thing we’re trying to avoid by limiting omega-6 fats. •Vitamin E protects the linoleic acid from oxidation (that’s why vitamin E tends to come packaged with linoleic acid in nature, because plants don’t like their fats oxidizing, either). •The polyphenols found in almond skins protect LDL from oxidation, too, especially when combined with the vitamin E found in almond meat. •Almond prebiotics are also beneficial, leading to a healthier, more diverse intestinal microbiota. Brazil Nuts Or the Brazil nut, famous repository of “so much omega-6!” Yeah, okay, but it’s also a good source of magnesium, vitamin E, and selenium. We’ve already covered how magnesium and vitamin E can counter any potential negative effects of the linoleic acid they come packaged with, so let’s discuss the selenium in Brazil nuts. One common complaint about linoleic acid is that it depresses the metabolism by interfering with thyroid function; the Ray Peat fans are fairly adamant about this one in particular. However, selenium is one of the most important pro-thyroid minerals in existence. It allows the conversion of the storage thyroid hormone (T4) into the active thyroid hormone (T3). T3 is what increases metabolism, improves LDL clearance by increasing LDL receptor activity, and generally does most of the positive stuff we associate with the thyroid. And arguably the best, and certainly the easiest, way to get enough selenium is by eating a couple Brazil nuts (a slab of sockeye salmon ain’t too shabby a selenium source, either). It’s no surprise, then, that a single bout of acute Brazil nut ingestion results in long term depression of inflammatory markers. Walnuts Conventional wisdom says walnuts are healthy. Primals worry about linoleic acid intake, and walnuts are loaded with it (along with some ALA). How do they fare in the literature? •Walnut meals (as in a plate of food that’s 75% walnut) reduce the propensity of blood lipids to oxidize (almond meals had similar effects). •Walnuts increase Apo-A1 (a good lipid marker) and adiponectin (an anti-inflammatory hormone). •Walnuts lower Apo-B, a rough surrogate for LDL particle number. Seems they fare pretty well. Pistachios Then you’ve got pistachios which, despite their linoleic acid content (13.5g/100g), manage to lower the level of oxidized LDL particles in pistachio-eaters by improving lipids and increasing antioxidant status. They’re also excellent sources of prebiotics, improving the gut microbiota by a greater degree than even almonds. Hazelnuts Hazelnuts, which aren’t that high in linoleic acid compared to some other nuts, are quite good at reducing LDL oxidation and inflammatory markers in patients with elevated cholesterol. Avocados The avocado is rather rich in linoleic acid (though most of the fat is monounsaturated), leading some among us to avoid or severely limit its consumption. But research in actual avocado-eating humans paints a different story. An avocado eaten with your meal lowers the postprandial inflammatory response, triglyceride increase, and endothelial dysfunction normally associated with meals. Avocados also lower the number of LDL particles in your blood, a significant (and probably real/causative) risk factor for heart disease. I mean, c’mon. No guacamole? No diced avocado in your salad? That’s not living. It’s tough to reconcile this notion of linoleic acid being wholly bad with the overwhelming evidence for the health benefits of nuts and avocados, and I’ve never really bought into it. Omega-6 intake is strongly associated with age-related macular degeneration, for example, but nut intake is not. And I’m not just talking about epidemiological studies, since those are confounded by the fact that nuts and avocados are generally considered to be healthy foods, and people who eat a lot of them are more likely to do other healthy things, like exercise regularly, drink moderately rather than to excess, eat lots of vegetables, and maintain a healthy weight. The above studies are largely well-controlled, with live human subjects – just like you. I’m not saying you should eat a cup of almonds every day, or forsake all vegetables save the avocado. I’m simply saying you needn’t fear these foods, for they are undoubtedly healthy foods in reasonable amounts (like most others). Foods. See that word? Fear the isolated, super-heated, burnt fatty acids, if you like. I don’t blame you. But nuts? These are complex nutrient matrices teeming with as-yet undiscovered bioactive compounds. Yeah, maybe one day some enterprising biohacker will identify, isolate, and quantify the effects of every last micronutrient in every food and then create the final perfect iteration of Soylent. Until then, the best option we have is to eat food – whole foods that make us feel and look good, help us perform well, and have solid scientific backing. I’d say that’s a pretty good option. Linoleic acid in the form of refined vegetable oils is still to be avoided. But I’m just not convinced whole food sources of linoleic acid have the same effect on us. We call out other researchers when they demonize a food we like because of a single component, for good reason. We should be careful not to practice nutritional reductionism to justify demonizing a nutrient we don’t like. Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-the-omega-3omega-6-ratio-may-not-matter-after-all/#ixzz44OGpkkUk How Bad is Peanut Butter, Really? Man, you guys really love your peanut butter. I get at least one email a week from a devoted reader of the blog who just can’t shake the desire (that feels like a need) to eat peanut butter on a regular basis. They’re on board with everything else. They’ve ditched grains and vegetable oils. They’re walking more and getting better sleep. They’re getting sun and eating more vegetables than ever before. They’ve switched to grass-fed beef (sometimes liver, too!) and wild-caught fish. They’ve even happily dumped all the other legumes, except for that persistent, palatable peanut. The more dedicated among them may be soaking, sprouting, roasting, and grinding their own peanuts into peanut butter, but they’re still eating peanut butter – a “forbidden” food on the Primal eating plan. I’m talking questions like this: Dear Mark, I have been following MDA for about a year now and last I week I finally went primal. So far I have not had any issues with giving up grains (no cravings), except I cannot shake my peanut butter addiction! I eat a small bowl full of peanut butter with banana slices for a snack and I know it is awful for me! I eat very healthy foods for the rest of the day (eggs for breakfast, salad for lunch, meat and veggies for dinner) but the peanut butter is probably preventing progress! Help! Lucy I don’t want people to feel deprived, nor do I enjoy stripping from them the ability to enjoy their favorite foods, but I also want people to make the best and healthiest food choices possible. To do that, we need to examine the evidence. We need to give peanut butter the rice and oat treatment. We need to figure out whether or not peanut butter is really all that bad. Let’s go, shall we? First, The Good. What’s good about peanut butter? Why would we ever want to eat it? It’s tasty. I’ll admit it: peanut butter is quite delicious. I’ve never much cared for actual peanuts – they were okay, but not something I sought out – but I’d always grab a spoon or dip a finger for some peanut butter. It contains nutrients. It’s food, so of course it has something to it. But what? Peanut butter is a decent source of thiamin, niacin, folate, and magnesium. It’s actually fairly rich in polyphenols, particularly when roasted (which increases the coumaric acid content considerably). Peanuts also contain small amounts of CoQ10 and resveratrol, though I’d much rather get those from beef heart, sardines, and red wine, personally. Now, The Bad. Why should we avoid it? What’s not to like about peanut butter? I’m not even going to discuss the soybean oil and sugar-laden garbage that passes for peanut butter, because my readers definitely aren’t asking about that stuff. They’re doing natural butter with peanuts (and salt) as likely the only ingredient. It generally contains aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring fungal toxins, or mycotoxins, produced by certain members of Aspergillus, a type of fungus found pretty much everywhere throughout the world. Aspergillus tends to colonize any monosaccharide and polysaccharide it comes across, as long as the conditions are right, but peanuts are particularly susceptible. Most crops are colonized after harvest and during storage, but since Aspergillus is found in the soil (among other places) and peanuts grow underground, peanut colonization often occurs well before harvest. The result is that peanuts are among the most contaminated crops, along with corn and cottonseed. I wrote about the negative effects in a previous post, which I’ll sum up for you: Aflatoxin, being a toxin, is metabolized by the liver. Large enough doses of aflatoxin are a liver carcinogen in high doses (it’s actually what T. Colin Campbell used to induce liver cancer in mice during his China Study crusade to indict animal protein). Early exposure and elevated bloods level of aflatoxin are associated with stunted growth in children. Interestingly, it seems that the peanut butter-making process dramatically reduces the aflatoxin content of the initial peanuts, by around 89% (PDF). In the study, roasting at 160 degrees C reduced aflatoxin by 51%. Blanching, or skin removal, reduced it by 27%. Finally, grinding the peanuts into butter removed another 11% of the aflatoxin, probably because of the heat (not the actual grinding). So if you’re going to eat peanuts, stick with a good butter. It contains peanut agglutinin. As of now, the harmful effects of peanut agglutinin, a peanut lectin, are mostly speculative, but still compelling: •In isolated human colon cancer cells, peanut lectin is a mitogen, or growth-promoter. You generally don’t want cancer cells to divide and increase in number. •Altered glycosylation may be at the heart of inflammatory bowel disease-related cancers, like colon cancer. •Peanut agglutinin causes colon cancer cell proliferation via altered glycosylation, in an in vitro study. That said, those are just in vitro studies. They don’t tell us what happens when peanuts are eaten. However, in real live human subjects who ate real peanuts, peanut agglutinin has been shown to make it through the gut lining to end up in the blood stream. That’s a little worrisome, don’t you think? I want to reiterate, though: eating peanut butter has never been causally linked to the development of colon cancer. In fact, one epidemiological study found that frequent intake of peanuts and peanut products was linked to a lowered incidence of colorectal cancer in Taiwanese women. It might contain a uniquely atherogenic oil. Yeah, peanut oil has a good amount of monounsaturated fat, about 46.8% of the total fatty acid content, which has earned it a solid reputation for heart health in the conventional health world. But it’s also got a significant amount of PUFAs, too. 33% of the total fat is omega-6 linoleic acid, with an essentially nonexistent omega-3 ALA content. You could say that about a lot of nuts, though, and I don’t think the PUFA content is the big determinant here. It doesn’t help, but it’s not a deal breaker on its own. Let’s dig a little deeper. Peanut oil has favorable effects on standard lipid panels. LDL drops, total drops, total:HDL ratio drops. The jury is out on how much that all matters, but eating peanut oil will probably make your cardiologist happy. Awesome, right? Maybe, but peanut fat appears to be uniquely atherogenic despite the lipid effects. For decades, it’s been used by scientists to induce atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rats, rabbits, and primates. Some researchers think that peanut lectins, present in the oil, are the cause of the atherogenicity. Reduction of the lectin content of peanut oil, through “vigorous washing,” also reduces the atherosclerosis it causes (although not completely). You know what else reduces the peanut lectin content? Not eating any peanut butter. It’s a little too tasty. There’s something about the combination of fat, salt, protein, and smooth scoopability of peanut butter that promotes overeating. I wasn’t able to bring up any concrete studies on the pro-bingeing effects of peanut butter in humans (though if you run a Google search for “peanut butter addiction,” you’ll get a bevy of testimonials from all sorts of people claiming to be addicted to the stuff), I believe it. And I bet obesity researchers who typically work with rodents would believe it, too, since peanut butter is often used in these studies as a high-reward, obesogenic comfort food that rats and mice will readily and consistently overeat. Ultimately, to feverishly scoop in a ravenous frenzy or not to feverishly scoop in a ravenous frenzy is a choice you have to make. I wouldn’t recommend eating peanut butter very regularly, and I know I won’t for the reasons mentioned above, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. The inclusion – or exclusion – of peanut butter (or peanuts in general) will not make or break your Primal cred. There are a lot of things you want to have under control before obsessing over peanut butter, like grains, omega-6 oils, sleep, exercise, play, daily low level activity level, quality of meat, etc. You get those under control and then start thinking about some peanut butter as a treat every now and then, if ever. As I see it, the easy answer is to just not eat it, because I don’t see anything at which it particularly excels (besides inducing people to eat the entire jar in a single sitting). You can get your polyphenols and your minerals from fruits and vegetables, your monounsaturated fat from meat, olive oil, mac nuts, and avocados, and your smooth pulverized salty nutty fix from almond butter, mac nut butter, coconut butter, or any other nut butter – without the peanut lectin, the weirdly atherogenic fat, the aflatoxin load, or the insatiable desire to eat more and more and more until it’s all gone and your forearm is sticky. Of course, it’s easy for me to say: I don’t have a peanut butter habit. Anyway, let’s hear from you guys. Do you eat peanut butter? Are you addicted? Are you able to stop with just a bite or two? And most importantly, has your peanut butter habit negatively affected your results? Let me know in the comment section! Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-bad-is-peanut-butter-really/#ixzz44OH5hWZe 4 ? Linds 2318 · May 03, 2013 at 4:40 PM I really found this article by Mark Sisson pretty informative: "It generally contains aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring fungal toxins, or mycotoxins, produced by certain members of Aspergillus, a type of fungus found pretty much everywhere throughout the world. Aspergillus tends to colonize any monosaccharide and polysaccharide it comes across, as long as the conditions are right, but peanuts are particularly susceptible. Most crops are colonized after harvest and during storage, but since Aspergillus is found in the soil (among other places) and peanuts grow underground, peanut colonization often occurs well before harvest. The result is that peanuts are among the most contaminated crops, along with corn and cottonseed. Aflatoxin, being a toxin, is metabolized by the liver. Large enough doses of aflatoxin are a liver carcinogen in high doses (it???s actually what T. Colin Campbell used to induce liver cancer in mice during his China Study crusade to indict animal protein). Early exposure and elevated bloods level of aflatoxin are associated with stunted growth in children. It contains peanut agglutinin. As of now, the harmful effects of peanut agglutinin, a peanut lectin, are mostly speculative, but still compelling: In isolated human colon cancer cells, peanut lectin is a mitogen, or growth-promoter. You generally don???t want cancer cells to divide and increase in number. Altered glycosylation may be at the heart of inflammatory bowel disease-related cancers, like colon cancer. Peanut agglutinin causes colon cancer cell proliferation via altered glycosylation, in an in vitro study. That said, those are just in vitro studies. They don???t tell us what happens when peanuts are eaten. However, in real live human subjects who ate real peanuts, peanut agglutinin has been shown to make it through the gut lining to end up in the blood stream. That???s a little worrisome, don???t you think? I want to reiterate, though: eating peanut butter has never been causally linked to the development of colon cancer. In fact, one epidemiological study found that frequent intake of peanuts and peanut products was linked to a lowered incidence of colorectal cancer in Taiwanese women. It might contain a uniquely atherogenic oil. Yeah, peanut oil has a good amount of monounsaturated fat, about 46.8% of the total fatty acid content, which has earned it a solid reputation for heart health in the conventional health world. But it???s also got a significant amount of PUFAs, too. 33% of the total fat is omega-6 linoleic acid, with an essentially nonexistent omega-3 ALA content. You could say that about a lot of nuts, though, and I don???t think the PUFA content is the big determinant here. It doesn???t help, but it???s not a deal breaker on its own. Let???s dig a little deeper. Peanut oil has favorable effects on standard lipid panels. LDL drops, total drops, total:HDL ratio drops. The jury is out on how much that all matters, but eating peanut oil will probably make your cardiologist happy. Awesome, right? Maybe, but peanut fat appears to be uniquely atherogenic despite the lipid effects. For decades, it???s been used by scientists to induce atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rats, rabbits, and primates. Some researchers think that peanut lectins, present in the oil, are the cause of the atherogenicity. Reduction of the lectin content of peanut oil, through ???vigorous washing,??? also reduces the atherosclerosis it causes (although not completely). You know what else reduces the peanut lectin content? Not eating any peanut butter. It???s a little too tasty. There???s something about the combination of fat, salt, protein, and smooth scoopability of peanut butter that promotes overeating. I wasn???t able to bring up any concrete studies on the pro-bingeing effects of peanut butter in humans (though if you run a Google search for ???peanut butter addiction,??? you???ll get a bevy of testimonials from all sorts of people claiming to be addicted to the stuff), I believe it. And I bet obesity researchers who typically work with rodents would believe it, too, since peanut butter is often used in these studies as a high-reward, obesogenic comfort food that rats and mice will readily and consistently overeat. Ultimately, to feverishly scoop in a ravenous frenzy or not to feverishly scoop in a ravenous frenzy is a choice you have to make. I wouldn???t recommend eating peanut butter very regularly, and I know I won???t for the reasons mentioned above, but that doesn???t mean you have to follow suit. The inclusion ??? or exclusion ??? of peanut butter (or peanuts in general) will not make or break your Primal cred. There are a lot of things you want to have under control before obsessing over peanut butter, like grains, omega-6 oils, sleep, exercise, play, daily low level activity level, quality of meat, etc. You get those under control and then start thinking about some peanut butter as a treat every now and then, if ever. As I see it, the easy answer is to just not eat it, because I don???t see anything at which it particularly excels (besides inducing people to eat the entire jar in a single sitting). You can get your polyphenols and your minerals from fruits and vegetables, your monounsaturated fat from meat, olive oil, mac nuts, and avocados, and your smooth pulverized salty nutty fix from almond butter, mac nut butter, coconut butter, or any other nut butter ??? without the peanut lectin, the weirdly atherogenic fat, the aflatoxin load, or the insatiable desire to eat more and more and more until it???s all gone and your forearm is sticky." ? Add Comment ? 4 Comments 5edb9385e68c8f1fdc8b255f8748e725 Medium avatar 5b9a25a1a676397a25579dfad59e1d7b 4610451431ec7155c87a5698be682a95 Ebb10603524dd22621c1155dd7ddf106 ? 4 ? greymouser 19160 · May 03, 2013 at 4:28 PM Peanuts are legumes (the seeds of legume plants, i.e. beans) and not nuts. Beans are categorically not paleo, although you will find some people who eat green beans, peas, or snow peas. The usual concern with beans is the high lectin content - while green beans have (virtually) none, peanuts and other beans have much higher amounts, and different, more potent varieties - some are neutralized with soaking, others cannot be. If you could manage to eat 10 dry kidney beans, you would die from the lectins in them, for example, as they are incredibly potent. Besides being categorically dismissed, peanuts are also a concern because they are highly susceptible to mold growth and aflatoxin. The paleo-police aren't going to come to your house if you continue to eat peanut butter, but consider choosing a different (true) nut butter if you can't live without something like it. ? Add Comment ? 5 Comments Ebb10603524dd22621c1155dd7ddf106 5edb9385e68c8f1fdc8b255f8748e725 5edb9385e68c8f1fdc8b255f8748e725 72cf727474b8bf815fdc505e58cadfea Ebb10603524dd22621c1155dd7ddf106 2036088993d884cf0c1d603ba56bec4d ? 1 ? bbaker62 10 · August 01, 2013 at 10:28 PM The problem with peanut butter is only how it is made. If you know that a producer uses low heat and clean, un-spoiled, organic peanuts - or you do the same at with making your own. There is nothing wrong with it. From my other post... Forget about peanuts being LABELLED as a legume. This is just as irrelevant as calling a Chestnut a nut. If you don't know, chestnuts have very little fat and are super high in carb's. They are much closer to a potato in macro's than any nut. Likewise peanuts are much closer in content (fats and proteins) to nuts than ANY legume. Virtually all nuts are high in Omega-6, phytates, and PUFA. Even the almond that paleo eaters consume liberally - some way too much via almond butter and flour. The almond is arguably only slightly more healthy than a peanut and not enough to warrant their increased cost. The only nutrient that an almond has in significant amount above a peanut is Vitamin-E being about 3-4 times higher. But given almonds and peanuts have the lower quality Alpha-Tocopherols type of Vitamin-E (not the more effective tocotrienols type), you're better off looking elsewhere for you Vit-E. All considered, the healthfulness of almonds looks to be exaggerated. Now, one thing that everyone leaves out about peanuts is that they have 3-4 times more selenium than an almond. Selenium is the important and relatively hard to find mineral that everyone touts Brazil Nuts for. All other nutrient content of peanuts versus almonds does not differ enough to really care about - especially since you should not be eating more than say a handful or so per day anyway (or couple spoonful's of nut butter). Aflatoxins and lectins are often show up in many other types of both plant an animal foods. The mold that produces Aflatoxin also grows on paleolithic foods. It is not specific to peanuts. Humans in general have a high tolerance for them. So this is another red herring. Peanuts and peanut butter are tested for aflatoxin. Peanuts are only marginally higher than almonds in PUFA fat. Another red herring. I believe that the statement that peanuts are not a "paleo" food is just wrong. Where is the evidence that peanuts did not exist during the paleolithic? You can't condemn them just because they don't grow on a tree. Potatoes and other tubers grow in the ground the same as peanuts. The main issue with peanuts and peanut butter, like most other types of foods, including other nuts, is how it is prepared. Eating peanuts reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and does so without promoting weight gain, according to a study. Researchers found that regular peanut consumption lowers triglyceride levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, by as much as 24 percent, and study participants had no significant change in body weight. Since peanuts are high in fat they are often viewed as unhealthy, but researchers point out that they contain healthy fats that contribute to the reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. Along with monosaturated fatty acids, peanuts also contain magnesium, folate, vitamin E, copper, arginine and fiber, all of which have cardiovascular disease risk-reducing properties. Purdue News July 31, 2003 Dr. Mercola's Comments: Follow Dr. Mercola on Twitter Follow Dr. Mercola on Facebook This study points out some interesting facts; however, the authors fail to appreciate several important points about peanuts such as: •They are loaded with omega-6 fats that distort the omega 3:6 ratio •They are frequently contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin •Peanuts are one of the most pesticide-contaminated crops Fortunately, there are some relatively safe ways to reduce these negative effects. First, you can obtain Arrowhead Mills organic peanut butter. These peanuts are grown in New Mexico, and aflatoxin has not been reported to be a problem in that state due to the dry conditions. The organic version of the peanut butter is also pesticide free. Additionally, you can pour off the oil that settles on the top of the peanut butter jar rather than stirring it into the peanut butter, as this will lower the omega-6 content. If this makes it too dry for your taste you can stir in some olive oil or macadamia nut oil, both of which are very low in omega-6 fats and far higher in safe monounsaturated fats. Avoid using canola oil as a filler, as it is fraught with other potential problems. To increase the protein in peanut butter (peanuts have about the same amount of protein as soy), Brewer’s yeast can be mixed in. This is especially useful for vegetarians. Peanuts & Omega 3 by Aglaee Jacob Peanuts & Omega 3 Related Articles ?What Are the Benefits of Wild Salmon Oil Capsules? ?Chia Seeds and Pregnancy ?What Is Flax Oil Good For? ?Chicken & Good Cholesterol ?Is Coconut Oil Safe to Take Daily? ?What Is the Nutritional Value of Green Olives? Peanuts, peanut butter and other foods containing peanuts as part of their ingredients are popular among Americans. Peanuts are a good source of monounsaturated fat, which is also found in olive oil, olives and avocado, and this unsaturated fat is known to be beneficial for heart health. Peanuts contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fat, a type of fat divided into two main categories: omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Sponsored Link Posing Suits - $34.95 Andreas Cahling Posing Trunks. Womens Posing suits 49.95 www.andreascahling.com Peanuts Fatty Acid Profile An ounce of raw peanuts contains 14 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 7 grams of monounsaturated fat, 4 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 4 grams of omega-6 fatty acids and no omega-3. A serving of 2 tablespoons of peanut butter contains 16 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 8 grams of monounsaturated fat, 5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 5 grams of omega-6 fatty acids and no omega-3. Omega-3 and omega-6 fats are polyunsaturated, and 100 percent of the polyunsaturated fats present in peanuts and peanut butter is under the form of omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 Fatty Acids There are different types of omega-3 fatty acids. Marine omega-3 fatty acids are called EPA and DHA and can mainly be found in fish oil and cold water fatty fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, trout and albacore tuna. There is also a vegetable source of omega-3 called ALA, which is found in walnuts, flaxseeds and canola oil. Omega-3 fats are considered an essential fatty acids because they cannot be synthesized by the body and their consumption is important for controlling blood clotting and helping the formation of cell membranes in the brain. Moreover, omega-3 fats are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and depression. Omega-6 Fatty Acids Omega-6 fatty acids also constitute an essential fatty acids that need to be supplied to the body through food. All of the polyunsaturated fats of peanut and peanut butter are omega-6 fatty acids, but this fat is also found in safflower oil, sunflower seeds and oil, corn oil and soybean oil. Omega-6 fatty acids are involved in the structure of cell membrane and gene expression. Ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 The balance between the amount of omega-6 and omega-3 in the diet appears to play a key role in human health. A paper in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy published in October 2002 explains that humans evolved eating about similar amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which corresponds to a ratio of approximately one. However, Western diets now have incredibly high intake of omega-6, skewing the ratio in favor of omega-6 with amounts 15 to 16.7 higher compared with the amounts of omega-3 consumed. A high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 contributes to the increasing prevalence of cancers, autoimmune disease, inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Balancing Your Ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 with Peanuts If you eat a serving of 1 ounce of peanuts or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, which, respectively, provide 4.4 grams of omega-6 fatty acids or 4.7 grams of omega-6 fatty acids without providing any omega-3 fats, you need to include foods rich in omega-3 that same day. To bring your ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 closer to balance, you can supplement your diet with 1 to 2 teaspoons of fish oil, which contains between 1.1 to 3.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids depending on the type, or 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds, which contains 3.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. How to Healthily Consume Peanut Butter While peanut butter is sometimes considered one of the “healthy” foods that aren’t healthy, peanut butter actually can be healthy. Here’s how to make sure the peanut butter you eat actually helps your body. Buy Organic First, when you buy peanuts, make sure you buy a certified organic brand and, ideally, a type of a peanut called Valencia peanuts or Jungle peanuts. These peanuts are typically not grown in the moisture of the ground; they’re usually grown in bushes off the ground or higher up, and that eliminates the issue with mold. In addition, Valencia peanuts contain monounsaturated fats that lower triglycerides, and they have all nine essential amino acids and the antioxidant resveratrol. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radical damage produced during everyday bodily functions, such as eating and exercise. If left unchecked, free radicals can damage cells and are thought to be a cause of life-threatening disease and sickness. Consume with Omega-3 Foods The second thing that can actually make peanuts healthy for you is if you consume omega-3 fats with them. You can add in a little bit of beneficial flaxseed oil or take an omega-3 fish oil supplement when you eat peanut butter, and of course, you should always consume plenty of omega-3 foods. If you get plenty of omega-3 fats in your diet — and you aren’t allergic — then you really don’t need to worry about eating peanuts. The Verdict? Peanuts and peanut butter actually can be food that supports and boosts metabolism and fat loss if you consume them with the other rights foods and as part of a proper diet, because peanuts are high-protein snacks that are high as well in easily burned carbohydrates; in fact, they’re one of the highest plant-based forms of protein available today. So can peanuts be healthy? Yes, they can if you buy high-quality, organic peanuts like Valencia peanuts and you get plenty of omega-3 fats in your diet — and that extends to peanut butter, of course. But here’s the problem: 99 percent of the peanut butter and peanuts people buy in America have hydrogenated oils added, and they’re non-organic. That’s what adds to the omega-6 count and makes peanut butter unhealthy. Sadly, 99.9 percent of peanut butter out there today is absolute junk. It’s not good for you, and it can even cause weight gain, disease-causing inflammation and inflammatory reactions in the body. The good news is you don’t have to consume this unhealthy, processed form of peanut butter. Buy or make your own natural, organic peanut butter instead, and the peanut butter can actually be good for you. Benjamin Stone • 5 years ago With a n6:n3 ratio of in excess of 4000:1, I will pass on peanut butter. Better idea to make homemade nut butter, adding flax to help balance n6:n3 ratio to less than 4:1 or better. ? ? • Reply • Share › - ? Avatar Michael Greger M.D. NF Moderator > Benjamin Stone • 5 years ago I don't believe the ratio is that high. According to the latest USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference entry the ratio is about 180, still high, but could certainly still fit into one's diet without unduly crowding ?6desaturase. Love your idea about making your own, though! Ooh, I bet walnut butter would be yummy, How do you do it? I've seen industrial-scale grinders in supermarkets but didn't know there were kitchen-sized versions.