When it comes to brain health, our diets play a bigger role in how we think, feel and function than you might realize. But with the right foods, you can increase focus, reduce stress and improve your long-term cognitive health.
That’s why it’s important to get a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods into your diet regularly—and few foods pack in more nutrients than peanuts and peanut butter.
So how can one little snack support a healthier, happier mind in one daily handful? Let’s dig in and find out!
But before we crack on, be sure to check out our Facebook, X, Threads, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn for simple, healthy recipes, expert research and more to support your health every day.
The Building Blocks for a Better Brain
From protein that keeps you full and focused, to bioactives, minerals and more that protect against several conditions, peanuts and peanut butter provide an affordable way to support a healthy mind:
Arginine supports learning, memory and blood flow to the brain—and peanuts have more than any other whole food.1
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, helps with energy production and proper brain development.2 Peanuts and peanut butter are excellent sources of niacin.
Vitamin E is associated with maintaining brain health and may improve cognitive function.3 Peanuts are a good source.
RESVERATROL is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound which may help improve learning and memory and protect against
anxiety and depression.4
Choline promotes concentration and builds neurotransmitters in the brain.5
Copper also promotes concentration, and helps the body produce neurons.
Snack More. Stress Less.
Peanuts and peanut butter don’t just help with brain development—they also support our mental health!
A 2021 study of college students found consuming peanuts and peanut butter was associated with improved memory, and decreases in cortisol, anxiety, and depression levels.6
Researchers pointed to the polyphenols in peanuts as the likely driver of the results.
p-coumaric acid—an antioxidant in peanuts—has also been shown to regulate anxiety and stress. In fact, researchers note it could have similar stress-reducing effects as leading anti-anxiety drugs.7
Supporting Mental Health.
Eating peanuts and tree nuts regularly alone has been associated with a 17% lower risk of depression.8
But by combining the power of peanuts with other healthy foods, you can get even bigger benefits!
Take the MIND diet, for example. It incorporates foods that specifically benefit brain health, including peanuts and peanut butter, and has been associated with a 32% lower risk of depression.9
That’s in addition to the 85% of studies on the Mediterranean diet, which includes nuts like peanuts, that also show reduced risk of depression.10 Or the findings of 56 previous studies that showed healthy foods like nuts and legumes were associated with lower risk of depression in adolescents (vs. fried foods, sugary beverages and processed meats, which may increase it).11
Support Happiness by the Handful.
Are peanuts brain food? Absolutely! Whether you’re looking to boost focus, reduce stress, improve memory or simply maintain a healthy mind, adding a single serving of peanuts or peanut butter to your daily diet is a simple (and tasty) way to give your brain the support it needs.