LONDON, January 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Enjoying a few peanuts over the festive season is one thing, but assuming you should ditch them along with other high fat foods, once the New Year dieting urge kicks in is a big mistake!

It's official, American peanuts provide more than 30% of your daily needs for no less than 14 key nutrients and that's on top of the protein and energy they provide! So peanuts offer a powerful nutritional boost, just what you need if you're cutting back the calories after the festive excesses. And if this seems a contradiction, rest assured that research shows 'nuts are fattening' is a myth.

New EU regulations now govern nutrition and health claims for all foods and drink products sold throughout the EU. These new rules are designed so that shoppers are less likely to be misled by unsubstantiated claims, such as for 'beautiful skin', 'enhanced virility', 'increased muscle definition', or simply that a product contains beneficial amounts of certain nutrients, when in fact the content is negligible. Nutrition claims can no longer be made unless a product supplies a significant quantity (15% of daily needs) in 100g and to be able to claim that a product is a high/excellent source, the product must contain at least 30% of daily needs, which is exceptionally tough for more than a few key nutrients[i].

American peanuts can legitimately claim to be an excellent source of 14 nutrients: fibre, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B3 (niacin), pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin E, unsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Additionally they provide protein, iron and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). That's a powerful concoction in a great tasting package and at a fraction of the cost of detox pills and potions!

Your waistline will thank you too. Harvard University investigated the relationship between nut consumption and long term weight change in 51,000 women, aged 20-45yrs. Results over 8 years showed that women eating peanuts, peanut butter or tree nuts more than twice a week had: less weight gain than women who did not eat them; lower BMIs (body mass index); and overall a lower risk of obesity[ii].

It's recognition of the good value nutritional boost of peanut products that explains the increasing sales of peanuts and peanut butter this year in the USA[iii].

So, add American peanuts to your New Year healthy eating resolution and enjoy the tasty benefits!

Notes for Editors

For delicious peanut recipes and images, please visit: http://www.peanutsusa.org.uk

For the 14 day peanut weight loss diet, please visit: http://admin.peanutsusa.com/documents/Document_Library/UK_14_day_diet.pdf

A word about salt: The main sources of salt in our diets are hidden sources within many processed foods. The salt in peanuts is on the outside, which is why they are considered 'salty'. Peanuts themselves are in fact low in salt, so you can reduce the salt simply by shaking it off - and much of the salt is left in the bag anyway!

USA Peanut brands in the UK: - Sun Valley King of Nuts (large American peanuts), roasted salted, dry roasted, chilli, honey roasted (Ryanair, Virgin trains, Martin McColl) - Planters peanuts (Waitrose) Big D - Firedancer peanuts (selected department stores, Lakeland and Tesco) - Waitrose roasted inshell peanuts, cashew/peanut mix, dry roasted peanuts - Marks Spencer Belgian milk chocolate coated American peanuts - Sainsburys' unroasted monkey nuts (inshell peanuts) - Planet Organic organic roast peanuts organic redskins - As Nature Intended organic redskins - Dormens roasted salted peanuts (selected outlets) - Ann's Nuts roasted salted (Costco) - Kirkland own label mixed nuts (Costco) Look for the words 'American Peanuts' or the Quality USA logo on packaging to be assured that you are buying great tasting, high quality peanuts and peanut butter.

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[i] Regulation (ec) no 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (OJ L 404, 30.12.2006, p.9) http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labellingnutrition/claims/index_en.htm; http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178621456747.htm

Calculations based on official data from USDA food composition databank: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search

[ii] Bes-Rastrollo M et al. Prospective study of nut consumption, long-term weight change, and obesity risk in women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009; 89: 1-7.

[iii] Data from USA Peanut Industry sources and Information Resources, Inc. (I.R.I.)

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

SOURCE: American Peanut Council

CONTACT: For more information on the research or diet plan, or for highresolution images, please contact: Jennette Higgs, ConsultantNutritionist/Dietitian and Media Specialist for the American PeanutInformation Office, e-mail: jennette@foodtofit.co.uk, tel:+44(0)1327-354632.