- og = certified organically produced
- gf = gluten free
- v = vegan
- ft = fair trade
- st = stock item
- x = not splittable (whole case only)
Peanuts
The peanut, or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), is a species in the legume family (Fabaceae) native to South America, Mexico and Central America. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing to 30-50cm tall. The leaves are opposite, pinnate with four leaflets (two opposite pairs; no terminal leaflet), each leaflet 1-7cm long and 1-3cm broad. The flowers are a typical peaflower in shape, 2-4cm across, yellow with reddish veining. After pollination, the fruit develops into a legume 3-7cm long, containing 1-4 seeds, which forces its way underground to mature. Peanuts are a rich source of protein (roughly 30 grams per cup after roasting). Prior to 1990 the PER method of protein evaluation considered peanut protein along with soy protein an incomplete protein, containing relatively low amounts of the essential amino acids cysteine and methionine (but high in lysine), and it was advised to be sure that a diet or meal with peanuts as a staple also include complementary foods such as whole grains like corn and wheat, which are adequate in methionine but limited by lysine. Protein combining has been largely discredited. Since 1990 the gold standard for measuring protein quality is the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) and by this criterion peanut protein and other legume proteins such as soy protein is the nutritional equivalent of meat and eggs for human growth and health. Peanut oil is a mainly monounsaturated fat (50%), much of which (97%) is oleic acid. Saturated fatty acids compose 13% of peanut fat, where palmitic acid is the most present (74%) followed by stearic acid (16%). Some say peanuts are an unbalanced source of fat because they have only trace amounts of required Omega-3 fats. Some brands of peanut butter are fortified with Omega-3 in the form of linseed oil to balance the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6. Peanuts are a good source of niacin and thus contribute to brain health, brain circulation and blood flow.
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