Woodlands Fitness Centre

Don't eat peanuts

Wednesday 5th March 2014

Because peanut has the word "nut" in it, even people who favour the Palaeolithic diet assume they're ok to eat. Peanuts are not nuts. Peanuts are legumes. And Legumes aren't on the Paleo diet.

While legumes, or beans (lentils, black beans, soy, peanuts, etc.), aren't as bad as grains, which contain gluten and other harmful substances, they should be avoided. They absolutely must be cooked for long periods of time, sprouted, and preferably fermented to remove, at best, most of the harmful lectins and phytic acid contained in them.

Legumes are a mediocre source of protein, a huge source of unnecessary carbohydrates, and therefore produce a big glycemic response. Moreover, legumes give most people gas.

The number of peanut allergies has doubled over the last decade so there's clearly something going on here. One theory has to do with the aflatoxin present in most of the peanuts (and wheat, rice and other major crops).

Aflatoxin is a toxin that is created by mold that forms when crops like peanuts are stored in large masses. It's one of the most carcinogenic substances known. Besides the fact that it could cause cancer if enough of it is ingested, there's also growing suspicion that aflatoxin could be causing an immune system reaction - an allergy.

Roasted peanuts are worse. Although the roasting process will rid the peanut of some of its phytic acid, it actually changes the structure of the proteins so as to make them more allergenic. By the way, when you hear the word allergy, you might be thinking to yourself, "Well I don't have anaphylactic shock when I eat peanuts, so I'm fine." But allergies can be way less severe than your throat closing up. It could be as subtle as a skin rash or just feeling mentally out of it. Or maybe it upsets your digestive system. Almonds are better for you if you like eating nuts.