Are peanuts really THAT bad?

Just curious. I hear so many ridiculous reasons why peanuts are bad. I want to go through some!!

1) They contain aflatoxins.

... so do almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts (and probs many others)!! Apparently higher levels were found in almonds and pecans and stuff in a large UK study than in peanuts!

2) They contain lots of omega 6 and low omega 3

... so do almonds, pecans, pistachios and to a lesser extent walnuts! How come peanuts get vilified? Most nuts and seeds have high 6 and low 3.

3) They contain lectins.

Again, so do all the above nuts and more.

4) They are allergenic.

Yeah but only to SOME people. Most people seem to have no reaction.

5) They are legumes (popular paleo reason)

Does that really mean people never consumed them in the paleolithic? They don't even need cooking to be edible



Sorry, all this has gotten on my nerves haha

Seems that all this stuff gets thrown at peanuts, when actually at least 70% of it or more applies to most other nuts too!

What am I missing?


Cheers!

Hoppi

Peanuts aren't actually nuts, and yes they're that bad.

Peanuts aren't the problem as much as roasted legumes/nuts. Raw peanuts aren't as prone to oxidation, but also contain a bad ratio of Omega 3 to 6. I personally eat them in moderation, while supplementing with Omega 3. I also like the taste of peanut butter preserved with palm oil.

As for peanut allergies, I don't doubt peanut oil as a vaccine preservative causes future health implications. I can easily see the human body protecting itself from what now confusingly appears to be a hostile invader.

4039 wrote:Peanuts aren't the problem as much as roasted legumes/nuts. Raw peanuts aren't as prone to oxidation, but also contain a bad ratio of Omega 3 to 6. I personally eat them in moderation, while supplementing with Omega 3. I also like the taste of peanut butter preserved with palm oil.

As for peanut allergies, I don't doubt peanut oil as a vaccine preservative causes future health implications. I can easily see the human body protecting itself from what now confusingly appears to be a hostile invader.

I know high 6 to low 3 is bad, but ofc that rules out nearly ALL nuts as well, and seeds other than flax and chia (and possibly hemp).

Also, peanuts aren't anywhere near as high in poly-unsaturates as many other nuts, as they are mostly monos. Therefore, why are they especially prone to oxidation? Wouldn't cooked high PUFA nuts be much worse?