Peanut power: keep your body in tune for peanuts a day.(WHAT'S HOT: FOOD)

Will a peanut a day keep the doctor away? Not quite, but an ounce might. Peanuts help control blood pressure and cholesterol, manage blood sugar, prevent diabetes, reduce hunger, and keep extra pounds away. An, d let s not forget they re flan.

You've probably heard that high-glycemic foods, the lovable starchy ones like white bread and all the sugary ones like cookies, aren't the most healthful; they rapidly convert to blood sugar, promoting inflammation and increasing risk for diabetes and heart disease. But adding peanuts to any of these will slow the conversion process, producing more stable energy levels, delaying hunger pangs, and reducing cravings. Less body fat goes hand in hand.

New Research

Peanuts ate rich in healthful fats, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. They're also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, which helps control blood pressure and reduce risk for diabetes. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that eating 1 ounce of peanuts or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, five or more times weekly, reduced risk for diabetes by 27 and 21 percent, respectively.

Studies published in the International Journal of Obesity found that peanuts and peanut butter were more satisfying than low-calorie, high-carbohydrate snacks such as rice cakes. And people who added peanuts to their diets spontaneously reduced their caloric intake from other foods and lost weight. Another study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, found that habitual peanut consumers had higher metabolisms and weighed less than peanut abstainers.

Picking Peanut Butters

Avoid products made with unhealthful added oils and sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup, Choose no-salt or low-salt versions.