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Eat Peanuts for your Heart
The Peanut Institute celebrates peanuts as part of National Heart Health Month. Did you know that peanuts are among the list of foods approved by the American Heart Association® to carry the Heart-Check logo? American Heart Association® Heart-Check foods must meet strict nutritional criteria, including less than 140mg of sodium per serving and no more than 4 grams of saturated fat.
Research shows that eating nuts daily can reduce risk of death from heart disease by 29%, and even eating peanuts just twice a week can reduce risk by 24%. Replacing red meat in the diet with a plant-protein like peanuts can decrease the risk of heart disease by 19%.
Oil-roasted salted peanuts have about 8g of protein per ounce, are a good source of fiber, Vitamin E, niacin, magnesium, and contain potassium and bioactives such as resveratrol and phytosterols, all of which may benefit heart health.
For companies interested in adding the heart-check to their package, please contact The Peanut Institute. Visit our
Heart-Health web page to download educational resources and learn more about the benefits of eating a handful of peanuts everyday.
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New Heart-Healthy Peanuts Fact Sheet Available
In time for Valentine's Day, The Peanut Institute has released a new American Heart Association-approved fact sheet on the heart-healthy benefits of peanuts. This fact sheet showcases peanuts and peanut butter as an important part of a heart-healthy diet. It also provides ten tips on how to add peanuts and peanut butter to your diet everyday. Click here to download this helpful resource from The Peanut Institute website.
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Resveratrol, Found in Peanuts, may also Help Chronic Kidney Disease
 Recent research from Harvard showed peanut and nut consumption can help prevent death from all causes including major chronic diseases; in particular, cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, respiratory disease, infection, and kidney disease. A recent article published in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity highlights resveratrol, a phytochemical found in peanuts, as a potential compound protecting peanut-eaters against chronic kidney disease (CKD). Inflammation and oxidative stress drive the progression of CKD as well as cardiovascular disease. This study suggests that resveratrol may alter DNA in ways that promote anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Resveratrol has long been studied for its benefits in treating cancer, aging, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It is only found in a few foods, including peanuts, mulberries, grape skins and wine. Eating a small handful of peanuts everyday provides more resveratrol than a glass of red wine.
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Praise to Peanut Oil
 The February issue of Men's Journal highlights peanut oil as one of the nine healthiest cooking oils. The health & fitness column states that peanut oil is flavorful, contains healthy fats, and has a high smoke point perfect for stir-frying.
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 Try these heart-shaped raspberry pancakes, packed with peanut protein, for Valentine's Day.
Raspberry Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup raspberry puree
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup fat-free plain or vanilla yogurt
1 cup skim milk
1 egg or egg substitute
3 Tbsp peanut butter, melted in the microwave
Stir together the flours, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Put the raspberries in a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. You can use fresh or frozen.
Add the brown sugar, vanilla, yogurt, milk, egg and melted peanut butter to the blender. Pulse until completely smooth.
Fold the wet mixture into the dry, stirring slowly and stopping when evenly combined.
In a large pan, melt a little butter and pour about 1/3 cup batter for each pancake. Wait until bubbles appear then flip. Cook another minute or so.
When all pancakes are finished, cut with a cookie cutter to desired heart shape. Keep warm in a 200° oven until ready to serve.
This recipe was modified from theKtchn.com
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