Peanuts provide antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and healthy oils

• We even have heard of schools noting that children shouldn't in bring peanut products in their school lunches because of the danger to other children who may have the allergies.
• Well, The Sentinel printed an Associated Press story yesterday --- April 5, 2005 --- that says peanuts, a dietary outcast during the fatphobic 1990s, have made a comeback, with consumption soaring to its highest level in nearly two decades and more doctors recommending peanuts as part of a heart-healthy diet.
• Then there's the federal government's latest dietary guidelines that say peanuts, which contain unsaturated fats, can be eaten in moderation.
• Peanuts do contain vitamin E, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and minerals, including copper, phosphorous, potassium, zinc and magnesium.
• Several universities reportedly have done research that also says peanuts can help prevent heart disease, lower bad cholesterol and possibly help with weight loss by making people feel satisfied so they eat less of other foods.
• It's important to make sure that children aren't allergic to them because reports also say that more people are being diagnosed with peanut allergies, which can be fatal.
• And the problem with kids taking peanut butter products to school apparently is that a small minority of people can have an allergic reaction just from breathing in peanut particles or touching them.
• They can be both good and bad, depending on the person.
• Make sure you know whether family members have peanut allergies.
• And even when not allergic, moderation is always the best policy to maintain good health.
• We point this out because different articles have different focuses and it's important to put it all together instead of just wondering why the experts keep changing their minds.