Peanut Industry Publications
Nashville, NC 27856
email: marianne@aboutpeanuts.com
email: mcatalano@scda.sc.gov
phone: 847.559.7324
P.O. Box 7026
Tifton, GA 31793
phone: 229.386.0216
fax: 229.386.8757
email: spearmanagency@friendlycity.net
Peanut Industry Organizations
Nutrition & Allergy: Nutritional Breakdown
Nutritional Breakdown
Are peanuts nutritious? Absolutely!
While there are many snack and ingredient choices out there, the nutritional value of peanuts and peanut butter are relatively high compared to other options. Compared to the rest of the legume or dried bean family, peanuts are pretty low in calories. Plus, they are a terrific source of protein!
But the story gets better and better. In fact, you might be surprised with just how great the nutritional value of peanut butter, roasted peanuts and other peanut products are once you see the peanut nutrition data below—especially when you consider the significant amounts of the following nutrients found in a single ounce. Check out these peanut nutrition labels to find out more!
161 calories per ounce
alories are a measure of the amount of energy in a particular item of food or beverage. And exerting energy in direct balance with caloric intake is key to maintaining a healthy weight. Peanuts and peanut butter are nutrient-dense foods which are an important factor in weight management. In just one serving (160 calories of peanuts, or about 190 calories for peanut butter), they provide hard-to-get nutrients such as dietary fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin E, thiamin, and magnesium. Furthermore, there are numerous studies showing that peanuts help manage weight because of their high satiety value, and because consumers don’t tire of their flavor, texture or versatility.
7.3 grams protein per ounce
A one-ounce serving of peanuts—about a handful—is considered a good source of protein based on the United States Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database. Although the nutrition data of peanuts and peanut butter can differ slightly, a serving of each provides 7 grams of high quality, plant-based protein to your diet. Since the protein in peanuts is plant-based, it carries with it additional components promoting positive health benefits like fiber and unique bioactives, unlike animal protein.
4.6 grams carbohydrates per ounce
Carbohydrates (or ‘carbs’) are an important part of a healthy diet; they supply the body with glucose which ultimately supports physical activity and bodily functions. Peanuts can be an ideal factor in this equation, as they are quick to enter the bloodstream and result in energy. But how many carbs are in a serving of peanuts? Well, as peanuts are high in protein, fat and fiber, they are low in carbohydrates – which means they have a low glycemic index. As such, foods containing a low amount of carbohydrates, such as peanuts, are also critical to those trying to lose weight, lower blood sugars and treat certain health conditions.
14 grams fat per ounce
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest cooking and purchasing products made with oils higher in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat rather than butter, shortening, or coconut or palm oils. Luckily, more than 80% of the good fats in peanuts are from heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Scientific studies show that when healthy fats replace bad fats in our diets, it lowers inflammation and risk of cardiovascular disease.
5 miligrams sodium
Peanuts and peanut butter are full of vitamins and minerals that are integral to growth, development, metabolic function, and immunity. There are a variety of micronutrients and bioactives that contribute to the nutritional content of peanuts.
Research has identified numerous types of bioactive compounds in peanuts and their skins that may add health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Peanuts have been touted as a functional food with numerous functional components. These bioactive nutrients have been recognized for containing disease-preventative properties; some are antioxidants, while others are thought to promote longevity. Packaged together with vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein, and fiber, peanuts are a complex plant food that promote health with each bite.
Simply put, there are many components of peanut butter and peanuts. Many of these are known as bioactive compounds.
Nutrition & Allergy: Nutritional Benefits
Nutritional Benefits
Benefits for Everybody
No matter your age or weight, peanuts and peanut butter are healthy for you, offer many benefits, and can play an important role in all kinds of diets. Whether they help you lose weight, enhance the nutritional quality of your diet, or prevent the onset of disease, peanuts provide benefits to everyone.
Even those who are malnourished can reach healthy weights when consuming peanut-based foods. And athletes jump to peanuts knowing that their energy supply will be filled with quality nutrients for their metabolism. Adults know peanuts are good for their diet and often snack on them. Are you reaping the benefits that peanuts have to offer? Read more on the health benefits of peanuts on specific groups below.
Peanuts and peanut butter give families a convenient way to include nutrient-dense foods in daily meals. They provide fiber, protein, and healthy fats, making them useful for breakfast, lunchboxes, and snacks. Because peanuts pair well with fruits, whole grains, and vegetables, they help build balanced eating habits for children and adults together. Families looking for affordable nutrition benefit from peanuts because they offer long-lasting energy without high cost or complicated preparation.
Women benefit from peanuts because they are a strong plant-based source of protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients like folate and magnesium. Folate is especially important for women of reproductive age because it supports healthy cell development. The healthy fats in peanuts contribute to sustained energy and may support hormone balance. With fiber and antioxidants, peanuts also support heart health and may help reduce the risk of chronic disease.
For adults, peanuts help support steady energy throughout the day and can be an important tool in maintaining a healthy diet. Their nutrient profile supports muscle function, brain health, and overall wellness. With fiber and protein, peanuts help adults feel satisfied longer, which can support healthy weight goals. Peanuts are also rich in antioxidants that play a role in long-term health and disease prevention.
Peanuts are a kid-friendly source of protein, healthy fats, and vitamins that support growth and development. They help keep children full between meals and support strong muscles and brain function. Peanut butter is easy to add to snacks, smoothies, and balanced meals that children already enjoy. When introduced safely and age-appropriately, peanuts can help build lifelong healthy eating habits.
Seniors benefit from peanuts because they provide nutrients that support muscle preservation, energy, and heart health. The healthy fats in peanuts help keep meals satisfying without requiring large portions. Their magnesium, niacin, and vitamin E contribute to cognitive and cardiovascular support. With a soft and easy-to-eat option like peanut butter, seniors can enjoy valuable nutrition even if chewing becomes difficult.
Athletes rely on foods that fuel performance, and peanuts deliver plant-based protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates needed for energy and recovery. The combination of nutrients supports muscle repair and sustained metabolism. Peanuts help replenish energy stores before or after exercise and can be incorporated into training nutrition. Because they are portable and filling, athletes often choose peanuts as a practical option during busy training schedules.
For individuals who are malnourished, peanuts provide concentrated calories along with essential nutrients that help support weight restoration and improved health. Peanut-based foods, including peanut butter and fortified peanut pastes, have been used globally to support recovery from undernutrition. The balance of protein, fat, and micronutrients helps rebuild strength and body tissue. Peanuts offer an accessible solution when consistent nourishment is needed.
Nutrition & Allergy: Allergy
Allergy
Benefits for Everybody
When the topic of peanuts comes up, people sometimes wonder about peanut allergies. This article aims to answer common questions about peanut allergies and provide resources for further learning. Continue Reading >
What is the cause of food allergies?
The true prevalence of food allergies is unknown but estimated to be up to 8% in children.
About 90% of food allergy reactions are caused by tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, etc.), peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy.
Can you be allergic to peanuts but not peanut butter?
No. Allergic reactions are caused by the specific proteins found in peanuts, which are present in both forms.
It seems like more people have peanut allergies, why?
The prevalence of self-reported peanut allergy doubled from 1997 to 2002.
This increase may be a result of better reporting and improved detection of allergies, which should be diagnosed by a physician.
The reported increase in peanut allergy mirrors an overall increase in childhood allergies.
Are all peanut allergies severe?
No, some are mild; however, in those who have severe reactions, ingesting just a trace amount can cause a reaction. Food allergy reactions can be unpredictable.
It is critical to manage peanut allergies, as with any allergy, to avoid severe reactions, such as anaphylaxis.
What is the allergen in peanuts?
The major proteins Ara h 1, Ara h 2, and Ara h 3 are the allergens in peanuts, but at least 7 proteins have been identified as potential allergens.
Smelling the aroma of peanuts cannot cause an allergic reaction.
What about peanut oil?
Highly refined peanut oil is different from peanuts and from “crude” or gourmet peanut oil because it does not contain peanut allergens.
Highly refined peanut oil is purified, refined, bleached, and deodorized, which removes the allergic proteins from the oil.
The majority of peanut oil used by foodservice has been highly refined and processed.
The FDA does not require highly refined peanut to carry a food allergen.
Can I have an allergic reaction to smelling peanuts?
Smelling the aroma of peanuts cannot cause an allergic reaction.
For the latest research and information on managing peanut allergies, please visit peanutallergyfacts.org.
A peanut allergy occurs when a person’s immune system mistakenly recognizes peanut protein as an allergen. The major proteins Ara h 1, Ara h 2, and Ara h 3 are the allergens in peanuts, but at least 7 proteins have been identified as potential allergens. Having any food allergy requires strict avoidance of the food in the diet. Treatment generally includes the avoidance diet and symptom treatment when accidental ingestion occurs. In addition, the FDA has approved oral immunotherapy (OIT), called Palforzia, to treat peanut allergy.
The groundbreaking LEAP Study (2015) found that the introduction of peanuts into an infant’s diet, prior to 11-months old, reduced the prevalence of peanut allergy significantly. As a result of the LEAP study, new guidelines have been released to encourage early introduction of peanut foods. Research has shown that introducing peanut foods early to those infants who are at high risk reduced rates of developing peanut allergies by up to 86%. Implementing early introduction will hopefully reduce the prevalence of peanut allergies for future generations.
With increasing news coverage on peanut allergy in the past few years, there may be a misperception about the actual prevalence of peanut allergy in the U.S. It is thought that 1-2% of Americans have a peanut allergy. Studies show that up to 20% of peanut allergies may be outgrown. However, the true prevalence of food allergies is unknown, since most data is collected through self-report and may not be accurate. Those with a family history of allergy, asthma, or eczema, may be at increased risk.
Both genetic and environmental factors appear to be involved. Having severe eczema and having an existing egg allergy makes children more likely to develop a peanut allergy. Family history of allergy may also be a factor.
An allergic reaction is caused by a dysfunction in the immune system. Individuals may experience allergic reactions to foods, insect venom, latex, and a variety of environmental exposures. A food allergy reaction involves the immune system and occurs when a typically safe substance in foods, usually a protein, unnecessarily, triggers the body’s protective immune response. Reactions can range from mild to severe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that children with food allergies are more likely to have asthma or other allergic conditions. Nearly 90% of food allergies are caused by these common foods: tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, etc.), peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and soy.
Fortunately, most allergic reactions are not life-threatening, but any food allergy reaction can be severe and unpredictable. Reactions can range from hives that quickly go away on their own to a reaction called anaphylaxis that may involve the respiratory and cardiovascular system and can be life-threatening. Food allergy reactions can include any organ system. The only recommended treatment for anaphylaxis is epinephrine. Diagnosing a food allergy should be done by a board-certified allergist and may include blood or skin tests based on a known history of reactions after eating a certain food. If a food can be eaten without provoking symptoms, then an individual does not have an allergy to that food. For more information on treating a food allergy reaction, speak with your pediatrician or physician.
How is allergy severity measured?
What is considered a mild allergy? What is considered severe?
What class of allergy is most common?
Reference: During peanut component allergen testing the presence of IgE antibodies specific for potentially allergenic individual proteins, namely Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, Ara h 6, Ara h 8, Ara h 9, and profilin protein Bet v2, are assessed. The determination of the relative amount of IgE antibody to specific peanut components can aid in assessment of the potential strength and type of allergenic response (see table here).
Allergic reactions to peanuts can range from the mild to severe. Symptoms of a mild allergy, for example, could include things like a runny nose, itchiness, and/or nausea. Severe allergies, however, can result in anaphylaxis — a potentially life-threatening reaction that can cause impaired breathing, a drop in blood pressure, swelling of the throat, blue lips, pale skin, dizziness and fainting.
For expectant mothers, limited evidence suggests that eating peanuts during pregnancy may help to reduce the risk of a peanut allergy in the child. The Growing Up Today Study (GUTS) examined 10,907 children whose mothers provided dietary information while they were pregnant and within one year of pregnancy. Peanut allergies were significantly lower in the children of 8059 nonallergic mothers who consumed more peanuts than those who did not. More evidence is needed in this area. Maternal peanut consumption during pregnancy or lactation had no effect on developing allergy in one study, nor did duration of breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pregnant mothers eat a diverse diet and does not recommend avoiding any allergen as a way to prevent food allergies.
In those who are especially sensitive, reactions to peanuts can occur from ingesting just a trace amount. This can cause anxiety, especially for the parents of peanut-allergic children. However, research shows that touching, smelling or just being near peanuts is highly unlikely to cause a severe reaction (Simonte SJ, et al. Relevance of casual contact with peanut butter in children with peanut allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Jul:112 (1): 180-2.)
Smelling the aroma of peanuts is not the same as inhaling airborne peanut particles that could potentially contain the allergenic protein. The aroma of peanuts comes from volatile compounds that cannot cause an allergic reaction. Also, highly refined peanut oil is not required to carry allergen labeling because the process used to purify the oil removes the protein, thereby making it no longer allergenic.
In one controlled study, 30 children with significant peanut allergy were exposed to peanut butter, which was either pressed on the skin for one minute, or the aroma was inhaled. Reddening or flaring of the skin occurred in about one-third of the children, who had the peanut butter applied to the skin, but none of the children in the study experienced a systemic reaction.
To prevent an allergic reaction it is essential to avoid eating the allergenic food. Here are some tips to minimize the risk of accidental ingestion:
Read labels every time, even if the food has been eaten safely in the past, since manufacturers can change their formulations. Look for a “contains” statement and read the ingredient list, since manufacturers can list allergens in either place.
Plan ahead when dining out or attending a party. Call ahead to talk with restaurant staff, or use a “chef card,” which lists ingredients to avoid and can be found at the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) website at https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/food-allergy-chef-cards.
Keep surfaces clean by using common household cleaning agents that have been proven to remove proteins after potential allergens have touched them.
Carry medicine such as epinephrine auto-injectors. Epinephrine is life-saving medication that should be used any time anaphylaxis is suspected. Always call 911 after using epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis as a second reaction may occur and additional medical care could be needed.
Control asthma with proper medical care since asthma is a significant risk factor for death due to anaphylaxis.
Let people know about your allergy by wearing an emergency alert bracelet or necklace identifying the allergy and its severity.
Foodservice professionals should also take special care to minimize the risk of exposure to food allergens for food allergic individuals. Some strategies for reducing exposure to food allergens in the foodservice setting include:
Training staff on handing foods that can cause allergy
Sanitizing equipment and workspaces to avoid cross contamination during food preparation
Posting signs in appropriate areas when foods with allergens are served
Properly labeling any in-house packaged foods that contain allergens
Having a plan for readily accessing emergency medical care.
The science is not clear as to what causes peanut allergy. Both genetic and environmental factors appear to be involved. The groundbreaking LEAP Study (2015) found that the introduction of peanuts into an infant’s diet, prior to 11-months old, reduced the prevalence of peanut allergy significantly. As a result of the LEAP study, new guidelines have been released to encourage early introduction of peanut foods. Research has shown that introducing peanut foods early to those infants who are at high risk reduced rates of developing peanut allergies by up to 86%. Implementing early introduction will hopefully reduce the prevalence of peanut allergies for future generations.