I. Benefits and Functions of Black Peanuts
1. Consuming black peanuts helps improve physical vitality, boosts mental alertness, and aids in managing depression and anxiety.
3. Consuming black peanuts strengthens immune function, prevents kidney stones, and alleviates hypoglycemia.
4. Their nutritional components promote brain cell development and enhance memory retention.
5. Eating black peanuts improves memory and mental agility, reduces hunger pangs, and dispels depressive moods.
6. Black peanuts are rich in anthocyanins, which inhibit free radicals, provide antioxidant and anti-radiation effects, combat tumors and aging, enhance cardiovascular activity, and reduce inflammation. They help improve skin elasticity and protect the skin.
7. Consuming black peanuts sharpens mental acuity. They serve as precursors to dopamine, a neurotransmitter crucial for higher-level neural signaling, stimulation, and regulating brain activity.
8. Black peanuts promote growth and development, tissue repair, and the production of antibodies, hormones, and enzymes. They make an excellent healthy snack for children and adolescents when consumed in moderation daily.
9. The selenium in black peanuts possesses potent antioxidant properties, helping prevent tumors, reduce platelet aggregation, and inhibit atherosclerosis.
10. Moderate consumption of black peanuts lowers total cholesterol and harmful LDL cholesterol levels, thereby preventing cardiovascular diseases.
11. The melanin in black peanuts effectively promotes blood circulation and protects against visible light and UV radiation.
II. Suitable Groups for Black Peanuts
Suitable for those with malnutrition, poor appetite, or cough with excessive phlegm; suitable for patients with beriberi; suitable for women experiencing insufficient lactation postpartum; suitable for individuals with various hemorrhagic disorders; suitable for children, adolescents, and the elderly—enhancing children's memory and aiding elderly health maintenance; those with weak stomachs may consume raw peanuts in moderation to nourish the stomach.
III. Who Should Avoid Peanuts
1. Individuals with cold constitution and loose stools: Peanuts are rich in oils and unsuitable for those with cold dampness stagnation or loose stools.
3. Individuals with hyperlipoproteinemia: As a high-fat, high-calorie food, excessive peanut consumption may worsen conditions like coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders, posing life-threatening risks.
4. Those with bruises or hematomas: Peanuts contain a blood-clotting factor. Consumption by individuals with traumatic injuries or blood stasis may inhibit hematoma resolution, intensifying swelling and pain.
5. Individuals seeking weight loss: Peanuts are high in calories and fat. Consuming 100 grams of roasted peanuts provides 581 kcal of energy, equivalent to eating 275 grams of steamed buns. Therefore, those aiming to lose weight should avoid peanuts.. However, just 18 peanuts equal one tablespoon of oil (10 grams), providing 90 kcal.
7. Gout sufferers: Gout is a group of diseases caused by purine metabolism disorders, with all patients exhibiting hyperuricemia. Since high-fat diets reduce uric acid excretion and worsen symptoms, peanuts should be avoided during acute gout attacks and consumed only in moderation during remission periods.
8. Individuals who have undergone cholecystectomy: Bile plays a crucial role in the digestion and absorption of fats. After eating, the gallbladder contracts, releasing bile into the duodenum to aid digestion and absorption. High-protein and high-fat foods stimulate the gallbladder most strongly, causing large amounts of bile to be released. After cholecystectomy, bile cannot be stored, inevitably affecting the digestion of fats found in oil crops like peanuts.
IV. Selecting and Storing Black Peanuts
Although black peanuts may discolor when exposed to water, this should not be the sole criterion for determining authenticity.How to distinguish genuine black peanuts?
First, examine the color of the peanut hull. Artificially dyed black peanuts exhibit uniformly dark hulls across the entire surface, with little variation in color between individual peanuts. Naturally grown black peanuts, however, show color differences between peanuts—some jet black, others deep purple. Even on a single black peanut, the hull's color intensity varies across different sections.
Second, crack open the kernel to examine the peanut embryo. Dyed black peanuts have black skins, but the kernels remain milky white. This is because the kernel's dense tissue structure prevents dye penetration.
When purchasing black peanuts, opt for those with shells whenever possible. Authentic black peanuts have shells indistinguishable from ordinary peanuts—they are not black. Select shelled peanuts with distinct, deep shell patterns and plump kernels. For shelled dried peanut kernels, choose those with intact beans, smooth surfaces, and no external damage, insect damage, or white powdery residue.
First, sun-dry the purchased peanuts for 4-5 days. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, then blanch in boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Remove while hot and mix evenly with fine salt and cornmeal. Sun-dry again for 2-3 days until they snap easily when bitten. Store in plastic bags to prevent mold, discoloration, or oil separation for extended periods.
Place raw peanuts in a container and sun-dry for 2-3 days. Allow to cool, then transfer to a sealed plastic food bag. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 years. They can be taken out, processed, and consumed as needed without spoiling.
The above outlines the benefits and contraindications of black peanuts. Rich in nutritional value, they enhance memory, improve physical performance, and help prevent cardiovascular diseases. However, they are unsuitable for individuals with cold constitution and loose stools, diabetes, or gout.