Peanuts, once dietary outcasts, are making a comeback

Peanuts, eaten in moderation, are a healthy food - but many consumers find it difficult to eat them in moderation. Peanuts contain high levels of vitamin E, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus. They also have fiber and protein, and contain resveratrol, an antioxidant that helps fight heart disease.

• Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a qualified health claim for peanuts and some tree nuts.
• Producers can say they may reduce their risk of heart disease by eating 1½ ounces daily.
• Peanuts, a dietary outcast during the fat-phobic 1990s, have made a comeback, with consumption soaring to its highest level in nearly two decades and more doctors recommending nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet.
• When peanut butter and snack peanuts plummeted as Americans switched to lowfat diets, the peanut industry responded with studies showing the health benefits of peanuts.
• Total consumption of peanuts jumped last year to nearly 1.7 billion pounds, compared to 1.5 billion pounds the year before.
• The federal government's latest dietary guidelines say peanuts, which contain unsaturated fats, can be eaten in moderation.
• "Now we know that the type of fat found in peanuts is actually good for us," said Lona Sandon with the American Dietetic Association.
• "It doesn't clog our arteries like saturated fat.
• There are 14 grams of fat in one serving of peanuts, which is only one ounce.
• A handful can have up to 200 calories.
• "The problem is that the portions need to be low so you don't overconsume the calories --- that's where the public has a disconnect," said Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
• They also are a good source of fiber and protein.
• Peanuts also have a small amount of resveratrol, the antioxidant in red wine that has been linked to the "French Paradox" --- a low incidence of heart disease among the French, despite their love of cheese and other high-fat foods.
• One Harvard study showed an association between peanut butter consumption and a reduced risk of diabetes.