What's the general opinion on peanuts?

rudeatude
rudeatude Posts: 3 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
I've been reading up on peanuts and was blown away by how many calories just a handful can drop on you. I've also read that they are good for snacks when you're trying to lose weight. After a day of scouring the internet, looking at calorie charts and reading ever single blog I could find, I still can't find a real answer.

What's your experience been with peanuts? Are they alright to eat in very small numbers? Or are they just something that are best to be avoided altogether?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    They're not better than any other calorie-dense snack, they aren't worse than any calorie-dense snack. Just eat the amount that fits in your calorie goal and you'll be fine. But if you expect some weight loss benefit from them, that's not going to happen. They're just food.

  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    Like everything, it's up to you. Some people don't have them because they are a trigger food and they always eat too many for their calorie goals. I like to eat small amounts as an evening snack, along with some fruit. They taste good, I don't have trouble moderating my intake, and I like the fats profile. I just weigh out the amount that will fit my calories.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I love peanuts. But all nuts are like crack to me. It's very hard to stop eating them once I start. I usually don't eat peanuts unless it's PB2 form or if I'm waiting for a burger at Five Guys.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Nuts in general are pretty nutritious...they are good sources of quality fats...but fats are calorie dense, so nuts are calorie dense. The caloric density of a food has nothing to do with it's overall nutritional profile. There are many wholesome and highly nutritious foods that are calorie bombs...one has nothing to do with the other.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    All food has calories. You eat foods in amounts that fit your goals - peanuts have a lot of fat, but you need fat. If you want to get your fat from peanuts eat peanuts!

    I don't like actual peanuts... I like peanut butter though, and eat that regularly.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    I buy fresh ground peanut butter that I grind myself at the store. It's delicious, and I have at least a half serving a day of it. It's great with celery, apple or just on a piece of whole wheat bread. I say eat what you love and make it fit. :smile:
  • allisonl6
    allisonl6 Posts: 37 Member
    I have a jumbo bag of roasted peanuts and a jumbo bag of raisins on top of my fridge. I make myself a "trail mix" of 50g of peanuts and 40g of raisins almost every morning before I run. Sometimes I throw in some cranberries too. It is worth every single calorie. So friggin good. I do have to make sure I close the bag of peanuts after I pour my portion though ;)
  • mhwitt74
    mhwitt74 Posts: 159 Member
    Loved that cartoon since I was a kid!
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    I am on a high protein & fat / low carb & sugar and I rely on 2 TBSP roasted salted peanut butter for my afternoon slump to hold me between lunch and dinner. There are times that I may have some in the evenings if I am still hungry. I find that the peanut butter keeps me more full than the nuts themselves. I also sometimes eat unsweetened coconut cream but peanut butter seems to work better for me.
  • Unknown
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  • erienneb66
    erienneb66 Posts: 88 Member
    I only like honey roasted and I find that the calorie counts of a handful of honey roasted peanuts is not worth it to me most days so I don't eat them. I'd also eat ALL of them if I bought a container so there's that.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited June 2017
    Consider almonds. More Potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, good fats, more fiber. Easier to count and log.
    Don't get them roasted. The heating process can reduce the healthy vitamin E and good fats in them. Just like you should not heat evoo too high.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Just remember, peanuts are a vegetable. That's not opinion.

    My opinion is they're a great snack in moderation.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Peanuts? Meh.

    Now peanut butter? Is perfection.
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    To me, for the calories, the small handful isn't even worth bothering with. I wouldn't be satisfied if I needed a snack, so I don't eat them.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited June 2017
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Consider almonds. More nutrition and vitamins. Potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, good fats.

    By weight, peanuts have more potassium and phosphorus than almonds do. They also contain vitamin E, although not as much as almonds do. Both are a good source of fat.

    How is one easier to log than the other? You toss both on the scale easily.
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    @janejellyroll - "By weight, peanuts have more potassium and phosphorus than almonds do. They also contain vitamin E, although not as much as almonds do. Both are a good source of fat."

    Peanut butter satisfies me more than almond butter for some reason, also. I bought some b/c it's supposedly less inflammatory than peanut butter - and I'll be glad when I finish the jar.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Peanuts? Meh.

    Now peanut butter? Is perfection.

    Very much this. Most nuts are great for snacking, but as others have said, if they trigger the munchies, then maybe steer clear.
  • dfranch
    dfranch Posts: 207 Member
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    I love peanuts. But all nuts are like crack to me. It's very hard to stop eating them once I start. I usually don't eat peanuts unless it's PB2 form or if I'm waiting for a burger at Five Guys.

    For me, Five guys peanuts are like a race to see how many I can crack open and eat before the food is ready.
  • Rammer123
    Rammer123 Posts: 679 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Consider almonds. More nutrition and vitamins. Potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, good fats.

    By weight, peanuts have more potassium and phosphorus than almonds do. They also contain vitamin E, although not as much as almonds do. Both are a good source of fat.

    How is one easier to log than the other? You toss both on the scale easily.
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Consider almonds. More nutrition and vitamins. Potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, good fats.

    By weight, peanuts have more potassium and phosphorus than almonds do. They also contain vitamin E, although not as much as almonds do. Both are a good source of fat.

    How is one easier to log than the other? You toss both on the scale easily.

    No they don't? Almonds have more potassium and phosphorus by weight.
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    Ref: http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/info/books-phds/books/foodfacts/html/data/data5f.html

    See under NUTS:

    Almonds up to 15 mgs
    Peanuts up to 25 mgs
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    RAD_Fitness wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Consider almonds. More nutrition and vitamins. Potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, good fats.

    By weight, peanuts have more potassium and phosphorus than almonds do. They also contain vitamin E, although not as much as almonds do. Both are a good source of fat.

    How is one easier to log than the other? You toss both on the scale easily.
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Consider almonds. More nutrition and vitamins. Potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E, good fats.

    By weight, peanuts have more potassium and phosphorus than almonds do. They also contain vitamin E, although not as much as almonds do. Both are a good source of fat.

    How is one easier to log than the other? You toss both on the scale easily.

    No they don't? Almonds have more potassium and phosphorus by weight.

    Maybe I checked a bad website? I still don't see the point of choosing one over another based on those characteristics. Both contain them and that kind of dietary micromanaging is just going to be ineffective and frustrating for most people.
  • Rammer123
    Rammer123 Posts: 679 Member
    Sunna_W wrote: »
    Ref: http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/info/books-phds/books/foodfacts/html/data/data5f.html

    See under NUTS:

    Almonds up to 15 mgs
    Peanuts up to 25 mgs

    What? It's saying that 10 almonds = 15g and that 5 in shell peanuts = 25g and that 30 of the roasted peanuts = 25g.....

    The amount in milligrams is the amount of the nutrient in 100g of each of them.

    So in 100g of almonds there is 440mg of phosphorus. In 100g of peanuts there is either 250 or 370 for in shell and roasted and salted, both of which are lower than almonds.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Okay, I double checked. An ounce of almonds has 207 mg of potassium, an ounce of peanuts has 199. So almonds do have more, but it's not a different that is going to be nutritionally significant for most people. An ounce of almonds has 134 mg of phosphorus, an ounce of peanuts has 106. So I was incorrect in my statement and I apologize for that.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
    I prefer almonds or hazelnuts for taste reason
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    edited June 2017
    .
  • Rammer123
    Rammer123 Posts: 679 Member
    macademia nuts for ALLLLL the fats
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I very rarely eat peanuts because I can't control myself well around them. When I do eat them I buy the shelled ones (monkey nuts?) because they are work to eat and slow you down so you feel happy with a reasonable amount (more or less). If you can control yourself to have a reasonable portion, sure. But it's good to remember that just because they are "clean" and "whole foods" doesn't mean you can eat a whole lot of them. They are high in calories.
  • cangler
    cangler Posts: 104 Member
    they're delicious.... :)
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    Charlir Brown's too hard on himself, Lucy fluctuates between awesome and *kitten*, Linus is full of himself, and Snoopy is fun B)
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