What's up with peanuts?

[restored4ever]

As someone new to the raw food life, I'm sure I will have many questions for a while. My mother, age 81, is going raw with me. We have been 100% raw for 2 1/2 weeks now, and we love how we feel and how things taste! But, my mom always loved peanuts and peanut butter and wanted me to ask why peanuts aren't included in the recipes. I am guessing that its benefits just don't equal its drawbacks, but I don't know the story. Could someone shed some light on this, please? I like to be educated when these questions come up. Thanks in advance.:)

[a1icia]

I don't have an exact answer for you and I'm not for or against peanuts. I used to consume peanut butter like it was candy but since almonds are better for you, I started eating almond butter instead.

Here's an article I found online that talks about peanuts and why they're not so good. I don't know if it's true or not but it may give you some insight.

http://www.loveandblueberries.com/2008/05/13/the-problem-with-peanuts/

[Revvell]

One word ~ aflatoxin. But then, aflatoxin is found in many foods and peanuts get the bad wrap. Don't even know one person who's gotten sick or died from eating peanuts. :rolleyes:

[pixie_333]

i use to buy raw shelled peanuts and my body felt fine with it.

[rawstrength]

It can be hard to find truly raw peanuts. a lot of them are blanched - dipped in hot water. they do this to kill the aflatoxin.

[Colorawdo girl]

There are raw jungle peanuts to purchase...not sure where as I saw them in a cafe in Ct...sorry.

[rawstrength]

the raw jungle peanuts are from www.sunfood.com . I've never tried them, but I've heard they're awesome.

[kaybee]

the raw jungle peanuts dont really taste anything like the peanuts we're used to in peanut butter though. any raw peanuts taste pretty differnt from, and bland compared to, the roasted ones. they are more like a pea or something (which is what they actually are anyway, a legume not a nut) and i thought they were pretty bland. pricey too at like 6 bucks for a half a pound or something. i have heard of people making raw peanut butter from them and it would be nice to try but prohibitively expensive.

the jungle peanuts were tested and do not have the aflatoxin, according to david wolfe

other things have aflatoxins too, like fresh raw sweetcorn, and people dont seem to be overly concerned about this, so/and/thus i dont know if the concern for peanuts is really warranted and we shouldnt bother being concerned or if we should actually be more concerned, and more concerned about things like sweet corn. you have to decide for you.

almond butter, if you can get truly raw almonds (have to order online, all ones in stores unless from europe and specified unpasteurized are pasteurized) is a good PB substitute..

[spicyfull]

I am SO proud of your Mother for making such a change this late in her life. Her Body is So Happy she did. You two are the Perfect Couple, you are such a RAWonderful kid:D. I wish you ALL MY BEST, Welcome to MY World.

[zachary]

Nice read. Sound interesting about raw food.

[pixie_333]

i got mine at peoples co-op in san diego. i saw no indication of them being tampered with. it's the same place that sells raw maple syrup i was telling about here. i might give them a call some day to see if i can get the guys number to sell some to me.. if i don't find a link to learn how to myself.

[Veronica01]

I'm reading The China Study and it has a lot of info on peanuts and aflatoxin.

Basically all raw peanuts have an amount of aflatoxin on them and yes it is toxic, but the peanuts put into peanut butter are the worst, moldy, unnaceptable peanuts they can't sell as a whole, that's why they get made into peanut butter.

The author of the book tested 27 different jars of peanut butter in attempt to find the best kind to be able to send protein to 3rd world countries. In all of them the amount of aflatoxin was 300 TIMES the regulated and reported amount.

So that's on side of it...

The other side that they noticed was people on a diet of more than 5% animal protein (plant protein consumption in any amount was not harmful) had huge risks to aflatoxin when they ingested peanuts. The toxin basically is able to infect our cells and cause disease in a body that consumes more than 5% animal protein.

I personally don't want to be eating anything manufactured in a factory that has things on a conveyer belt going into a large pot and being boiled together.

Spaghetti sauce is similar, they find many traces of rats and bugs in them as well.

I'm sure you will do far better eating more raw on peanut butter than eating SAD and consuming peanut butter.