The New Complete Book of Food
The Most Nutritious Way to Use This Food
With grains. The proteins in peanuts and other legumes are deficient in the essential amino
acids tryptophan, methionine, and cystine but contain sufficient amounts of the essential
amino acids lysine and isoleucine. The proteins in grains are exactly the opposite. Together
they complement each other and produce “complete” proteins, which is the reason a peanut-
butter sandwich is nutritionally sound.
With meat or a food rich in vitamin C. Both will increase the absorption of iron from
the peanuts. Meat increases the acidity of the stomach (iron is absorbed better in an acid
environment); vitamin C may change the iron in the peanuts from ferrous iron (which is
hard to absorb) to ferric iron (which is easier to absorb).Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
Low residue diet
Low-purine (antigout diet)
Low-sodium diet (salted peanuts, peanut butters)How to Buy This Food
Look for: Tightly sealed jars or cans of processed peanuts. Peanuts are rich in polyunsatu-
rated fatty acids that combine easily with oxygen and turn rancid if the peanuts are not
protected from air and heat.
Choose unshelled loose peanuts rather than shelled ones. The shell is a natural shield
against light and air.Storing This Food
Store shelled or unshelled peanuts in a cool, dark cabinet. Keep them dry to protect them
against mold. If you plan to hold them for longer than a month, refrigerate them in a tightly
closed container.Preparing This Food
Pick over the peanuts and discard any that are moldy and may be contaminated with carci-
nogenic toxins called aflatoxins.What Happens When You Cook This Food
Heat destroys the thiamin (vitamin B 1 ) in peanuts. Roasted peanuts are much lower in thia-
min than fresh peanuts.