Njugu: 10 Reasons Kenyans Are Eating Groundnuts Daily at Lunch hours mostly.

Everywhere one walks especially in Nairobi, they are likely to run into a vendor who sells groundnuts, popularly known as njugu. If spot checks would show, selling the nuts is likely to put a sustainable income amongst many hardworking Kenyans every day.

Their popularity is stretched even to the work offices where employees are going out to purchase the nuts before heading back to their offices, many at times from vendors strategically placed near some office buildings known for high human traffic.

Other times Kenyans buy them from matatus where hawkers board the vehicles to sell the nuts to them.

However, what makes the groundnuts the go-to lunchtime snack for Kenyans when other options are available? Viral Tea takes a look at ten reasons why you should think about them during your next lunch hour:

Groundnuts are healthy

Groundnuts and their products such as peanut butter are superbly healthy. They are full of nutrients like protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

According to Peanut Institute, the nuts are also packed with energy, helping you get through the workweek. The energy- and nutrient-dense qualities in groundnuts help give you a sense of “satiety,” (a feeling of satisfaction) throughout the day, thus avoiding the need to reach for that unhealthy snack after work.

Groundnuts are affordable

As compared to expensive groceries and food, groundnuts are among the cheapest snacks in the country. It matters little whether they are roasted, boiled, or used as a spread, they are one of the most healthy and affordable foods on the market.

Spot checks by this writer on some of the nuts reveal that they cost as low as Ksh10, and that is just among vendors alone. In supermarkets, they can cost as cheap as a packet of crisps.

Additionally, there’s just as much (or even more) protein per dollar in groundnuts and their products than in some meat products.

Groundnuts taste great

The peanut butter sandwich is slowly gaining prominence in the country as not only does it taste better than conventional spreads, it is the easiest to make for carrying to the office to have for lunch.

The butter is enjoyed by children, adults and the elderly either for breakfast or on the go. Because of their versatility, they are used as dips for fruits and vegetables as well as toppings on salads, pasta dishes, and desserts.

Boiled peanuts can be made into soup, sauces, or enjoyed as a snack. Some Kenyans reveal that the best-tasting groundnuts are usually roasted.

Their benefits last all year

Groundnuts are sustainable and available year-round. A jar of peanut butter can be kept in storage for up to six months and can last in the fridge for up to a year—and even longer in the freezer.

A roasted bag of peanuts can be kept in the refrigerator all year long.

They improve nutrient intake

Data reported from the Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals and Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (CSFII/DHKS) from 1994-1996 showed that women who consumed peanuts had higher intakes of healthy fats, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron, leading to higher healthy eating index scores.

Folate is important to women of childbearing age to help prevent neural tube defects in fetal development, and iron can help reduce anemia in women. The nutrient contribution from peanuts is one reason why the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program has included peanut butter in food packages for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Lower risk of heart disease and diabetes

The Nurses’ Health Study assessed more than 80,000 women and their relationship to type 2 diabetes. In those who consumed an ounce of peanuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter five or more times per week, the risk of type 2 diabetes was lowered by more than 20 percent.

In more than 6,000 female diabetics in the Nurses’ Health Study, those who consumed at least five servings per week of peanuts (1 ounce) or half a serving of peanut butter also significantly reduced their risk of heart disease. The American Diabetes Association website explains that nuts like peanuts “can go a long way in providing key healthy fats along with hunger management.”

Memory and cognition

The groundnut is part of the legume family, which means it usually contains a lot of B -vitamins that individuals such as senior adults lack in their diet.

B-vitamins are especially important for memory and cognition.

Better circulation, tissue repair and toning

Groundnuts are packed full of energy, proteins and other benefits for hard-core athletes and fitness junkies. On top of this, they contain high levels of arginine, a protein especially important during exercise and physical activity.

Arginine is a precursor for nitric oxide, which helps open blood vessels, allowing for better blood flow and circulation throughout the body—especially to active muscles. Blood carries oxygen throughout the body, giving muscles a breath of fresh air during physical activities.

The proteins found in peanuts also help repair damaged tissues and cells–damage caused when muscles are torn down before becoming bigger as a result of exercise. Research also shows that arginine may also help decrease the size of white fat cells and increase muscle mass/retention–a definite plus when trying to stay fit and lean.

Decreased risk of colon cancer

The effects of nut and seed intake on colorectal cancer risk were studied within a large population analysis in Europe called the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study. Researchers found that women with the highest intake of nuts and seeds, including peanuts, had the lowest risk of colon cancer.

Colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age. It usually begins as small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells called polyps that form on the inside of the colon. Over time some of these polyps can become colon cancers.

It ranks high among the top five common cancers in the country, according to the 2020 Globocan Report released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Reduced deaths from coronary heart disease

Over 20,000 male physicians were followed in the U.S. Physicians’ Health Study. Compared to those who rarely or never ate nuts such as peanuts, physicians who ate them two or more times per week cut their risk of cardiac death in half; they also cut their risk of coronary heart disease by a third.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) data published in 2018, coronary heart disease deaths in Kenya reached 7,522 or 2.95 percent of total deaths. The age-adjusted Death Rate is 47.66 per 100,000 population

ranks Kenya 169th in the world.