Peanuts and peanut butter are natural whole foods that contain a handful of nutrition in one serving. In the legume or dried bean family, peanuts are a terrific protein source. Recent research conducted at Pennsylvania State University, Harvard School of Public Health, Purdue University, and USDA/North Carolina State University has shown that peanuts are:

Heart healthy - lower blood cholesterol. Peanuts and peanut butter are naturally cholesterol free Some fat in our diet is essential. Fat provides vital energy and essential vitamins which we need to grow and for our bodies to function properly. Certain fats are better for us than others, peanuts contain monounsaturated fats which help maintain a healthy heart.

Effective in helping people on a Mediterranean diet lose weight and keep it off. Diets high in monounsaturated fats from foods like peanuts, peanut butter and olive oil are superior to low fat diets for heart health according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (December 1999). Diets high in monounsaturates improve the risk factors for cholesterol (including LDL and HDL) and triglycerides. They reduce heart disease risk by 21% versus only 12% for low fat diets.