Peanuts and Peanut Butter Found to Suppress Hunger

ALBANY, Ga., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study shows that snacking
on
peanuts and peanut butter is an effective way to control hunger
without
leading to weight gain.  Subjects who snacked on peanuts and peanut
butter
self-adjusted their caloric intake spontaneously and did not add extra
calories to their daily diets.  These findings are published in this
month's
International Journal of Obesity (Vol. 24, p.1167-75).

Following a snack of peanuts or peanut butter, the participants'
hunger was
reduced for two and a half hours.  When they were fed typical portions
of
other snacks (such as rice cakes), hunger returned within a half hour.
Furthermore, there was a positive change in the mix of fat in
subjects' daily
diets when they consumed peanuts and peanut butter.  Mono- and
polyunsaturated fats increased proportionately and saturated fat
decreased
proportionately, providing an overall heart-healthier fat profile.
Rick
Mattes, PhD, RD, Professor in the Department of Foods and Nutrition at
Purdue
University, who conducted the study, says, "These findings are
important
because they challenge the belief that eating high-fat foods like
peanuts and
peanut butter necessarily will lead to weight gain."  These new
findings also
support previous long- and short-term studies that indicate that
regular
consumption of peanuts does not promote weight gain and can reduce the
risk
of heart disease.

Small changes can equal big rewards.  Substitute monounsaturated fats
for
saturated fats by using peanut butter on your bagel instead of butter
or
cream cheese, dipping vegetables and fruit in melted peanut better
instead of
cream- based dressings, or sprinkling toasted peanuts on salads
instead of
croutons. When researchers at Penn State University (American Journal
of
Clinical Nutrition) tested diets that included 2-3 servings daily of
peanuts
or peanut butter, rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFA), they found that
total
and LDL cholesterol was lowered by 11-14%.  The peanut diets reduced
the risk
of cardiovascular disease by 21% compared to the average American
diet,
whereas a low-fat diet reduced the risk by only 12%.

Peanuts and peanut products also contain the phytosterol
beta-sitosterol
(SIT), which has been shown to inhibit cancer growth and protect
against
heart disease.  SIT may offer protection from colon, prostate and
breast
cancer, all of which tend to occur at higher rates in Americans than
in other
populations. This exciting new research was recently published in the
journal
Nutrition and Cancer.  In addition, The Journal of Nutrition review of
phytosterols as anticancer dietary components concludes, "The best
dietary
sources of phytosterols are unrefined plant oils, seeds, nuts and
legumes."

In addition to a significant amount of phytosterols and heart healthy
monounsaturated fat, peanuts and peanut butter also contain vitamin E,
folate, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and fiber, all of which are
thought to
benefit health.

The Peanut Institute is a non-profit organization that supports
nutrition
research and develops educational programs to encourage healthful
lifestyles.
The Purdue study was funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development.

SOURCE  The Peanut Institute

CO:  Peanut Institute; Purdue University; Penn State University