Groundnuts are the poor man’s almonds. Plentiful availability and great to taste makes it an anytime food. In 9 uses of groundnut I will also answer some misinformation regarding groundnuts.
One of my earlier article discusses Groundnuts in detail. You may want to read it to establish a context of the answers here.
Groundnuts are same as Peanuts which you are already aware now reading my article above. Peanut Butter is made from Peanuts with added ingredients. This is very popular in the USA and catching in popularity elsewhere.
Adding some statistics, India is the largest exporter of groundnut. I reiterate that groundnut is recommended to eradicate malnutrition in parts of world wherever this problem is.
Eat them raw, roasted, soaked or steamed, groundnuts nourishes with nutrition. It is a great aid in weight loss regimen.
Groundnut takes longer to digest so it curbs hunger pangs. It provides warmth and therefore recommended to necessarily eat during winters.
Peanut butter made out of peanut/groundnut are great for muscle building. The proteins content in groundnuts makes it a good substitute for meat. It is also an easy substitute for dairy based butter.
We discuss the various ways in which groundnut can be used in this article.
How Much Groundnut Can I Eat a Day?
Groundnut has a rich protein Content of approximately 25 percent of its weight. Having a portion of approximately 50gms per day is recommended for a normal adult.
Diet should be varied as per age and build. Having few grams more during winters is just fine.
Our body is designed to absorb nutrients I moderation. Hence, there is no point in over-eating any nutrient. Always Eat in moderation.
Being a rich source of fat, fiber and other trace minerals like magnesium, folate, copper and arginine, groundnut is a powerful nutrient. Being great in taste, sometimes the question arises- how much is too much?
Sometimes, salted groundnuts with a scent of lemon comes as starter but continues till the main course lasts! The crunchy taste is difficult to let go.
Any type of nut is mandatory in daily diet. Almonds or cashews are quite expensive and therefore a natural constraint on how much you eat. Groundnuts are cheap and available, so it is entirely up to you when to stop.
However, people with acute Pitta Dosha should consume groundnuts in extreme moderation. Pitta Dosha is defined to be arising due to interaction of the fire and space elements.
My other article, Ayurveda for Everyone outlines the categorization of body types.
What Happens if You Eat A Lot of Groundnuts?
Groundnuts are slow to digest. Hence, only a reasonable amount will be digested at a time. Having lot of groundnut causes stomach upset and lose motion is likely.
Eating lot of groundnut is not one of the 9 uses of groundnut. Rather, eating unreasonably large quantity must be strictly controlled. Specially, people with Pitta Dosh as explained in my earlier article must never do that.
Following the recommended portion nourishes you. Anything more will simply remain undigested. The undigested portion will be eliminated from the body.
One can only draw nutrients as much as the body allows. You do not help your body by over-eating any healthy nutrient.
Groundnut is a winter food and produce heat in the body. Eating a lot of groundnuts during summers is disastrous. That does not give an excuse for over-eating during winters though.
Stomach upset caused by eating lot of groundnuts generally subside on its own. Allowing time for your digestive system and abstaining from drinking water till the problem lasts will solve the problem.
Here, it will be interesting to read my article on when to drink water and when not. Here’s the link to the article.
Will Groundnut Increase Weight?
Groundnut is rich in protein contributing to muscle mass and does not increase weight. Rather, it helps in reducing weight as it takes longer to digest thereby letting you feel less hungry.
Having groundnut before lunch reduces your hunger thereby reducing your food intake. This is a great way of reducing weight.
Even the fat content in groundnut promotes good cholesterol unlike other fat. Hence, consuming groundnuts does not contribute to your heart health problems.
Groundnut can be a good substitute for lunch itself. Having groundnuts along with jaggery is a wholesome nourishment and quote popular in Western India. “Chikki” is a food bar prepared with groundnut and jaggery.
Having groundnut after sunset is not recommended as the digestive juice is less effective then. However, it is filling food and wholesome nutrition if had in the evening without having to look for unhealthy midnight snacking.
Even having too much groundnut does not increase weight. However, it can cause other problems as discussed above.
There is no concrete evidence of groundnuts increasing weight. Rather, it is a nutritious way to reduce weight. Here’s the link to my other article discussing about nutritious ways to lose weight.
9 Uses of Groundnut
The 9 best uses of groundnut are:
1. A protein rich anytime food in raw or roasted form.
2. Soaked groundnuts make for all-day energy giving breakfast
3. Steamed groundnuts are anytime food.
4. Food bar made with groundnut and jaggery called “Chikki” in India are great food post-siesta.
5. Salted groundnuts are great as evening snacks.
6. Peanut butter is more than 90% groundnut.
7. Groundnut makes for great vegan peanut curd.
8. The oil extracted from groundnut is used as a staple frying oil.
9. “Masala Peanut” or roasted groundnuts mixed with spices and lemon have great crunchy taste.
Above are some of the best known uses of groundnut.
How do you reader’s use groundnut or peanut? Leave your top three uses in the comment box below.
Here’s a link to my other article on Groundnuts Health Benefits.
The Best Time to Eat Peanuts
The best time to eat groundnut is in the afternoon after a siesta post-lunch. It re-energizes you breaking away from afternoon slumber.
Groundnut is digested at a slow rate in our stomach. Hence, we feel heavy for a long time. One should allow it sufficient time to digest.
Afternoons are the best time to eat groundnut when the Sun is still shining. Our body is digesting best at this time and therefore this timing ensures complete digestion.
Soaked groundnuts are great for breakfast. It keeps the stomach filled for a long time besides filling with energy.
One must avoid any food after sunset. The same is applicable for groundnuts. You must eat groundnuts during the day only.
Whatever be the time you eat groundnut, it is great anytime. It is fun and nutrition at same time when you eat raw groundnut separating the shells.
Shelled groundnuts are called “time-pass” in India. De-shelling and eating groundnuts makes time fly into oblivion! It means that you can eat groundnuts whenever you have free time.
Conclusion
Groundnut being so widely available and affordable are also filled with nutrients. Having recommended amount should be included in diet on a daily basis.
The 9 uses of groundnut includes eating raw or roasted legumes. Besides, various snacks recipes are popular in various parts of the world. Food bar called Chikki are very popular snack bar in India.
Peanut butter and vegan curd are other popular products made out of groundnut.
Here’s the link to the video explaining how to make vegan curd from Peanuts or groundnuts.
Do leave your comments about your experience with groundnuts in your daily life. Your comments serve as a motivation for researching and bringing more such articles.
