December 4, 2006
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Iran:
Peanuts, as you know are said to be about 50% fat, mostly non-saturated mono-band (the best type of fat). Fat is said to slow down absorption/digestion of food. It’s a low carbohydrate, low glycemic nut. The carb factor is 0.12 (12 grams of carbohydrates in 100 grams of peanuts with each peanut being about 1 gram) and the GIycemic Index is 14. So, I concluded that adding moderate amounts of peanut (in powder form maybe) to meals reduces postprandial, especially breakfast, spikes and smoothens the blood glucose trend while serving as a good replacement for the saturated fat we omit from our child’s diet. Does this seem like a good thing to do?
Answer:
Peanuts (and peanut butter) are a wonderful source of monounsaturated fats. The protein and the fat in the nuts tend to give a feeling of satiety that sometimes is lacking in other foods, especially carbohydrates. That’s why it is always advisable to combine carbohydrates and protein together for a meal or snack.
JMS