Peanuts: Yay Or Nay?

Thanks to their multiple health benefits, their relatively low-carb and high-fat content, nuts and seeds are a popular choice for those following a low-carb or paleo lifestyle. This is great news for all the peanut butter lovers… right? Well, not necessarily.

- Dr Ruth Marcus

‘Here’s the thing about peanuts: they’re not nuts. Peanuts are legumes, which are generally not considered LCHF because they tend to be high in carbs.

Additionally, peanuts have a different fat content when compared to ‘real’ nuts. While macadamias, almonds and pecans are high in omega-3 fatty acids, peanuts contain more omega-6 fatty acids, which can be problematic when following a low-carb diet to address conditions where inflammation is an issue.

So does this mean you can’t have any peanuts if you follow an LCHF/Paleo lifestyle?

Experts in the field differ on this. Some opinions are based on scientific research done in a clinical trial setting, while others are based purely on anecdotal reports.

According to Dr. Anthony Gustin, a leading low-carb diet expert, many commercially made peanut butters are made from ground peanuts, oil (often hydrogenated soybean or canola oil), salt, and either sugar or corn syrup. Gustin says the added sugar and inflammatory oils override any significant health benefits.

Professor Tim Noakes, author and LCHF expert, has even more alarming concerns; he suggests that an excessive intake of peanut butter may increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This theory was examined by the Neurology journal, which found that people with a diet characterized by regular use of omega-6-rich foods (like peanuts) and a lack of omega3-rich oils (salmon, olive oil, almonds, etc.) were twice as likely to develop dementia than those who didn’t eat omega-6-rich foods.