Peanuts in shell (also known as American peanuts) are often associated with village festivals but are also excellent to eat on other occasions: during an aperitif, at birthday parties, or as a crispy ingredient for many dishes.

While they have pods, it is not very correct to define them as nuts, although they have many affinities with this category.

It is in fact a herbaceous plant, the Arachis hypogaea, which belongs to the Leguminosae family, together with peas, chickpeas, lentils, lupins and others.

Roasted peanuts in shell are rich in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the main ones being oleic and linoleic acid.

Those who decide to follow a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle will certainly enrich their diet with peanuts, which are able to provide an excellent source of vegetable protein.

The small content of carbs in peanuts in shell results in a very low glycemic index of peanuts, which is why they can also be eaten by people with diabetes.

Peanuts are also composed of minerals and vitamins (such as biotin, copper, niacin, folic acid, manganese, vitamin E, thiamine, phosphorus and magnesium) and are a valuable source of antioxidants.

Given the composition of these oilseeds, it is easy to understand the many benefits of peanuts in shell for the body:

• they reduce the risks of obesity;
• they favor the health of the heart;
• they reduce the cholesterol;
• they reduce the possibility of developing gallstones;
• being rich in antioxidants, they counteract the action of free radicals;
• they are excellent allies for kids during their growth, thanks to the presence of arginineamong the components.

Raw peanuts in shell are a very healthy food because, as they are not subjected to particular processes, their composition is unaltered.

They are perfect as:

• breakfast (they are excellent both alone and with yoghurt),
• morning or afternoon snack,
• ingredient for energy shakes,
• for cookies or other desserts,
• to enrich salads and other dishes.