RALEIGH -- Health nuts may soon be turning to peanuts in their search for the fountain of youth.
One researcher at N.C State University's food science program is examining peanut skins in search of anti-aging chemical compounds traditionally associated with grapes and red wine.
"What people fail to realize is that peanuts and peanut skins have just as many, if not more, antioxidants as fruits and vegetables," said Wanida Lewis, a doctoral candidate in the Food Sciences Bioprocessing and Nutrition laboratory at NCSU, which is associated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Lewis and other university scientists hope to show that peanut skins contain phenolic compounds, touted by nutritionists as chemical "fountains of youth" because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.
Many plants naturally produce phenolic compounds for defense when they are under attack by pathogens and herbivores. Recently, animal studies have credited these compounds with an assortment of attributes, including anti-inflammatory properties. They can also lower blood sugar and reduce negative effects of a high-fat diet.
Resveratrol - one such compound notable in grapes but also found in peanut skins - has been shown to prolong the lifespan of some animals. Another compound group in peanuts, called flavonoids, consists of the same chemicals that provide the health benefits of green tea.
"So much of what we focus on is the health aspects of the whole nut," said National Peanut Board Nutritionist Bonnie Johnson. "This [research] can have a big impact on health trends."
Traditionally, peanut skins have been considered a waste product, often ground up and used for animal feed.
"Research has shown that peanut skins have these compounds and that these compounds decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease," Lewis said. "If we can show this in the lab, we can put more peanut skins in products."
But circus tents and baseball parks won't be serving up packs of peanut skins just yet.
"They're good for you, but they're pretty bitter," said Lewis. Next, she plans to test her phenolic findings on cell models and eventually humans.
"Maybe my findings will help people to take a second look at good ole goober peas," she said.
