After the second week in a row of having to take your six-year old daughter to the local hospital emergency room for a peanut allergy reaction, you informed the pastors that they should be able to advertise that they are a mere five minute drive to the closest ER. Although many people in the world love the taste of peanut butter and rely on this food as a convenient source of protein, there is a segment of the population that suffers from a peanut allergy reaction with even the smallest trace. As pediatricians across the country continue to research these allergy trends, it should come as no surprise that there are varying opinions. Although a decade ago some pediatricians were recommending that no child should be exposed to peanut butter and peanut products before the age of three, a more recent study has a number of doctors saying that early exposure may actually help prevent the allergy.
Like all important health information, it is important to make sure that you always consult a family pediatrician on advice when it comes to dangerous allergies. And while many Americans love this quick source of protein, there is a segment of people who need to be careful, or completely avoid, an exposure to peanut butter and other kinds of nuts.
Those Chocolate Covered Peanuts Can be Addicting
Let?s be real for a moment. If you are one of the people who are not allergic to peanuts, how do you like your chocolate covered candies? Are you a ?leave them in the car so they get really melty and gooey, and burst open in your mouth? kind of person? Or, are you a ?keep them in the freezer so they are really hard and crunchy? person?
For peanut and chocolate lovers, the world can be a pretty exciting place. In fact, peanuts comprise 67% of all nut consumption in the U.S., even if they are not covered in chocolate!
Consider some of these facts and figures about the high protein snack of peanut butter and other kinds of peanut snacks:
- 700 million pounds of peanut butter are consumer by U.S. residents every single year.
- As well as boasting gluten-free and vegan benefits, peanut flour contains 40% to 50% protein.
- Runner, Virginia, Spanish, and Valencia are the four types of peanuts produced in America.
- An estimated 145,000 pounds of peanut butter are used during peak production to bake Girl Scout’s Tagalongs and Do-si-dos, according to Little Brownie Bakers.
- Providing 15% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) level of protein per serving, peanuts are a versatile snack for many people.
- It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter, according to the National Peanut Board.
If you are not one of the people in this country who has a peanut allergy reaction, you are likely one of the people in this country who rely on the protein in this easy snack to help you get the energy that you need. With Halloween just around the corner, do you have a stash of this tasty snack ready for the trick-or-treaters who will soon be knocking on your door?