A calorie is a calorie, true or not?

The study: The effects of consuming a high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained individuals, from Antonio et all 2014, showed there were no significant changes over the 8 week treatment period or between the group on a very high protein diet and the control group for body weight, fat mass, fat free mass, or percent body fat. Consuming 5.5 times the recommended daily allowance of protein has no effect on body composition in resistance-trained individuals who otherwise maintain the same training regimen. This is the first interventional study to demonstrate that consuming a hypercaloric high protein diet does not result in an increase in body fat, and important for bodybuilders such a high protein intake doesn’t change (read increase) bodyweight and more important fat free mass…

Certainly, overfeeding in general will promote body weight and fat mass gain. Furthermore, the composition of meals during times of overfeeding will differentially affect body composition. Another study: Two weeks of overfeeding on candy versus peanuts showed that waist circumference increased only in the candy group despite the identical increase in caloric intake . This suggests that overfeeding on sugar results in body fat gains in contrast to consuming a natural food comprised of unprocessed carbohydrate and fat. Furthermore, there may be no difference in overfeeding on fat or carbohydrate in terms of fat storage .

Common believe was that if you ate enough calories to maintain your present weight, you would keep the same bodyweight, if you ate more than you needed to maintain your bodyweight the excess calories would be stored as fat. On the other hand if you ate less then needed, then you would lose fat. Simply said: to much calories will make you fat. Bodybuilders already knew that they needed to eat foods that scored low on the Glycemic Index. But now more and more scientific studies prove this bro-science. Just like the fame of peanuts being the ultimate bodybuilding snack…

More evidence comes in that demonstrates a calorie is not a calorie

The calorie principle has been a central theme in weight loss advice for some decades, and encourages individuals keen to lose weight or maintain their weight to avoid calorific foods. However, for a variety of reasons, calorific foods may not be fattening, and in fact might even promote weight loss. Some of the most important mechanisms at play here were explored in a study: Prospective study of nut consumption, long-term weight change, and obesity risk in women, which specifically examined the relationship between nut eating and weight. In summary, this study found that nuts are not, generally speaking, at all fattening. And this appears to have to do with the following major factors:

1. Nuts tend to satisfy the appetite

2. Nuts have relatively low glycemic index, and therefore tend not to stimulate much in the way of secretion of insulin (the master fat storage hormone)

3. Nuts stimulate the metabolism

4. Not all of the fats in nuts is absorbed from the gut

Support for the idea that nuts are not fattening has come from a study that is currently in press at the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . This study of over 50,000 women over an 8-year period found that eating more nuts was not associated with weight gain. In fact, women eating nuts two or more times each week tended to put on less weight and be less prone to obesity compared to those who rarely ate them. One explanation here, of course, is that women less prone to weight gain are perhaps less likely to feel restrained regarding their intake of ‘fattening’ foods such as nuts. However, because of the mechanisms listed above, there is reason to believe that nut-eating might genuinely promote weight maintenance or even weight loss.

Bodybuilding food created in heaven.

More and more bodybuilders are strengthened in their believe that peanuts and peanut butter (and nuts in general) are extremely well suited for their nutritional demands. Some time ago many people where convinced fats would make them fat. The protein from plants where inferior, and its was best to use (overpriced) protein shakes, a believe spreaded by supplement companies. Today more and more bodybuilders want to eat natural foods. Peanut and peanut butter are offering many benefits for the bodybuilder, but beside those benefits listed below. I would like to say something about incomplete protein source peanuts are said to be. Amino acids are known as the building blocks of life. Growth and repair of the body requires the availability and utilization of amino acids. Your body needs a combination of 21 amino acids to stay healthy. While your body can manufacture some of the amino acids it needs, your diet must supply others, which are classified as essential amino acids. A complete protein contains all nine of the essential amino acids. All animal products contain every essential amino acid, while plant products generally lack one or more.

Rather than using the terms "complete" and "incomplete" it may be better to view it from the aspect of complementation. In general, complementation involves consuming two or more foods together to yield an amino acid pattern that is better than the sum of the two foods alone. While peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, it is not a complete protein.

Eating incomplete proteins is fine, just ensure you are also eating complete proteins as well, or at least consuming other foods with an appropriate amino acid profile to complement the incomplete proteins, like by example eggs, tuna, chicken, salmon, meat. and whey protein shakes Complementary proteins don’t necessarily need to be eaten together, but since your body doesn’t store amino acids for later use in protein combining, they should be eaten throughout a day’s meals. Many bodybuilders enjoy a PB&J sandwich with a glass of milk (skimmed 2 % or choc depending on cutting or bulking of course)

Peanut skins

Most peanut butter is made from blanched peanuts. Blanching is the technical term for removing the testa, or seed coat, from the peanut kernel. What's the testa you ask? That's just science-speak for that dark reddish, papery coating on every peanut.

Perhaps now you're thinking, "Wait a second. Why are they removing the skins from my peanuts? Didn't I just read somewhere that skins are healthy?" Peanut skins have traditionally been treated by peanut processers as a waste product and sold off as animal feed. But that is changing.

One study from 1996 showed that some peanut skins contained up to 17 percent oil and contained fatty acids which, if extracted, could be valuable for nutrition and cosmetic firms.

But there seem to be benefits from eating peanut skins as well. Not only are they high in fiber, but they contain reservatrol, the same antioxidant that red wine is famous for, which is also an antimicrobial, and which in lab tests has been shown to lower blood sugar and may be an important weapon in the fight against cancer.

A more recent study in 2009 showed that roasting peanuts with their skin on actually increased the amount of antioxidants in peanuts.

Peanut butter isn't traditionally made with peanut skins for a number of reasons, among them concerns about freshness. If not handled properly, the natural oil in the peanut skins could may become prematurely stale and cause off flavors when the peanut butter is being made. Also, consumers tend to prefer peanut butter without the reddish brown specs that making them with skins on produces.

The best place to get your peanut skin fix is from roasted in-shell peanuts you can buy at a stadium or in the produce section of your local supermarket. And if you do find them in a can or a jar, just make sure they're unsalted, so you can control the amount of sodium you're adding to your healthy snack!

Do you like eating peanuts with skins on or off? Do you ever roast your own at home?

Peanut Butter with no Trans Fats

Most of the major brands of peanut butter contain partially hydrogenated oils, which we recommend that you avoid. Partially hydrogenated oils are solid at room temperature, so the peanut butter manufacturers use them to keep the oil from separating and to give their products a very long shelf life. They don’t have to add very much partially hydrogenated oil, but it is there – look at the list of ingredients. They try to fool you because if the amount is less than .5 grams per serving, they can say “0 grams of trans fats” or “no trans fats.” A serving of peanut butter is two tablespoons — so they can put as much as 8 grams of trans fats in a 16-ounce jar and still attach a label that says “No Trans Fats“!.

If you think it’s important to avoid trans fats, as we do, you will read the list of ingredients on every processed food you buy and put back any that include the words “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated”. For most peanut butter lovers, that meant a trip to a specialty store to get freshly-ground peanut butter or one of the smaller brands that contain only peanuts (and that’s still a perfectly good solution.)

Most supermarkets now carry at least a few brands that don’t contain partially hydrogenated oils. My current favorite is Smart Balance Omega Peanut Butter, which has the added bonus of omega-3 fatty acids, “good fats” that we all need.

You’ll notice when you pick up a jar that there’s about ½” of oil at the top. You need to stir this in before you use it. One caller said she pours it off — but that doesn’t really help anything and may make the peanut butter feel too stiff. (Peanuts are very high in fat even after you’ve poured off the oil, so if you’re concerned about calories or total fat content, you’re better off with another food.)

I hope that supermarkets are getting the message that we want choices that don’t contain partially hydrogenated oils – in peanut butter and all other foods. If you can’t find these peanut butter in your supermarket, go to the Customer Service desk and ask if they carry any peanut butter without partially hydrogenated oils (they may be able to tell you where it is), and 2) if the answer is no, ask them to stock some. If you find any other brands of peanut butter stocked in supermarkets, let me know and I’ll add them to my list.

Peanut Butter Brands
available in supermarkets with no partially hydrogenated oils: Smart Balance Omega Peanut Butter, Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter, Adams Peanut Butter, President’s Choice Peanut Butter, Smuckers All Natural, Laura Scudder’s, Publix supermarket store brand, Kroger’s supermarket store brand

Peanut Shells

The peanut, a source of vitamins, protein and fiber, is one of America's favorite snack foods. Peanut shells, not so much. While eating peanut shells may have never entered your mind, some people do indulge in this unusual snack. It could be the crunch or the saltiness that appeals to those looking for an alternative to chips and pretzels. Consider possible health risks before adding peanut shells to your diet. In fact the shells have no nutritional value.

The National Peanut Board website states, "many people report they enjoy peanuts, including the shell, and food scientists indicate that it's okay." The Peanut Board breaks down peanut shell content as follows: 60 percent crude fiber, 25 percent cellulose, 8 percent water, 6 percent crude protein, 2 percent ash and 1 percent fat. The composition differs based on peanut varieties and manufacturing environments. Other than dietary fiber, peanut shells offer virtually no nutritional value.

Health Benefits

In addition to being every kid's (and many grownup kid's) favorite sandwich filling, peanuts pack a serious nutritional punch and offer a variety of health benefits.

Your Heart Will Go Nuts for Peanuts

Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. In one such randomized, double-blind, cross-over study involving 22 subjects, a high monounsaturated diet that emphasized peanuts and peanut butter decreased cardiovascular disease risk by an estimated 21% compared to the average American diet.

In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health. Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. In addition, peanuts provide resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant also found in red grapes and red wine that is thought to be responsible for the French paradox: the fact that in France, people consume a diet that is not low in fat, but have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the U.S. With all of the important nutrients provided by nuts like peanuts, it is no wonder that numerous research studies, including the Nurses' Health Study that involved over 86,000 women, have found that frequent nut consumption is related to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Peanuts Rival Fruit as a Source of Antioxidants

Not only do peanuts contain oleic acid, the healthful fat found in olive oil, but new research shows these tasty legumes are also as rich in antioxidants as many fruits.

While unable to boast an antioxidant content that can compare with the fruits highest in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, roasted peanuts do rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries, and are far richer in antioxidants than apples, carrots or beets. Research conducted by a team of University of Florida scientists, published in the journal Food Chemistry, shows that peanuts contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid, and that roasting can increase peanuts' p-coumaric acid levels, boosting their overall antioxidant content by as much as 22%.

Peanuts' Antioxidants Key to their Heart-Health Benefits

Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Blomhoff R, Carlsen MH), which identified several nuts among plant foods with the highest total antioxidant content, suggests nut's high antioxidant content may be key to their cardio-protective benefits.

Nuts' high antioxidant content helps explain results seen in the Iowa Women's Health Study in which risk of death from cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases showed strong and consistent reductions with increasing nut/peanut butter consumption. Total death rates decreased 11% and 19% for nut/peanut butter intake once per week and 1-4 times per week, respectively.

Even more impressive were the results of a review study of the evidence linking nuts and lower risk of coronary heart disease, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition. (Kelly JH, Sabate J.) In this study, researchers looked at four large prospective epidemiological studies—the Adventist Health Study, Iowa Women's Study, Nurses' Health Study and the Physician's Health Study. When evidence from all four studies was combined, subjects consuming nuts at least 4 times a week showed a 37% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who never or seldom ate nuts. Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Practical Tip: To lower your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, enjoy a handful of peanuts or other nuts, or a tablespoon of nut butter, at least 4 times a week.

Potentially Reduced Risk of Stroke Based on Preliminary Animal Studies

Resveratrol is a flavonoid first studied in red grapes and red wine, but now also found to be present in peanuts. In animal studies on resveratrol itself (the purified nutrient given in intravenous form, not the food form), this phytonutrient has been determined to improve blood flow in the brain by as much as 30%, thus greatly reducing the risk of stroke, according to the results of a laboratory animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Lead researcher Kwok Tung Lu hypothesized that resveratrol exerted this very beneficial effect by stimulating the production and/or release of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule made in the lining of blood vessels (the endothelium) that signals the surrounding muscle to relax, dilating the blood vessel and increasing blood flow. In the animals that received resveratrol, the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in the affected part of the brain was 25% higher than that seen not only in the ischemia-only group, but even in the control animals.

The jury is still out on peanuts however, since they contain far less resveratrol than the amounts used in the above study, and also less than the amount provided by red wine. An ounce of red wine can provide as much as 1,000 micrograms of resveratrol, and it almost always provides over 75 micrograms. The same ounce of peanut butter can only provide about 50 micrograms of resveratrol. Still, routine consumption of peanuts or peanut butter might turn out to be significant in terms of the resveratrol provided by this food.

History

Peanuts originated in South America where they have existed for thousands of years. They played an important role in the diet of the Aztecs and other Native Indians in South America and Mexico.

The Spanish and Portuguese explorers who found peanuts growing in the New World brought them on their voyages to Africa. They flourished in many African countries and were incorporated into local traditional food cultures. Since they were revered as a sacred food, they were placed aboard African boats traveling to North America during the beginning of the slave trade, which is how they were first introduced into this region.

In the 19th century, peanuts experienced a great gain in popularity in the U.S. thanks to the efforts of two specific people. The first was George Washington Carver, who not only suggested that farmers plant peanuts to replace their cotton fields that were destroyed by the boll weevil following the Civil War, but also invented more than 300 uses for this legume. At the end of the 19th century, a physician practicing in St. Louis, Missouri, created a ground up paste made from peanuts and prescribed this nutritious high protein, low carbohydrate food to his patients. While he may not have actually "invented" peanut butter since peanut paste had probably used by many cultures for centuries, his new discovery quickly caught on and became, and still remains, a very popular food.

Today, the leading commercial producers of peanuts are India, China, Nigeria, Indonesia and the United States.

How to Select and Store

Shelled peanuts are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make sure that the bins containing the peanuts are covered and that the store has a good product turnover so as to ensure the nuts' maximal freshness. Whether purchasing peanuts in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure that there is no evidence of moisture or insect damage. If it is possible to smell the peanuts, do so in order to ensure that they do not smell rancid or musty.

Whole peanuts still in their shell are usually available in bags or in the bulk bins. If possible, pick up a peanut and shake it, looking for two signs of quality. First, it should feel heavy for its size. Secondly, it should not rattle since a rattling sound suggests that the peanut kernels have dried out. Additionally, the shells should be free from cracks, dark spots and insect damage.

Shelled peanuts should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer since excess exposure to heat, humidity or light will cause them to become rancid. Shelled peanuts will keep in the refrigerator for about three months and in the freezer for up to six months. They should not be chopped prior to storage, only right before eating or using in a recipe. Peanuts still in their shells can be kept in a cool, dry dark place, but keeping them in the refrigerator will extend their shelf life to about nine months.