Effects of whole peanut within an energy-restricted diet on inflammatory and oxidative processes in obese women: a randomized controlled trial.

Background Peanut consumption has little effect on body weight, despite its high energy density and is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that the consumption of whole peanut would be associated with greater improvements in body composition, lipid profile, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Methodology Twenty-four women with obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2 ), 33.1 ± 8.7 years old, were assigned to 3 groups and consumed 56 g of whole peanut (WP), skinned peanut (SP), and no peanut (NP) and consumed energy-restricted diets (250 kcal/d less than their customary diet) for eight weeks. Results WP lost an average of 3.2 kg, while SP group lost 2.6 kg and the NP group 1.8 kg. However, only the groups that consumed peanuts showed a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI). WP group presented lower body weight, BMI, waist circumference, total lean mass, and total body fat than the SP group in the 8th week. There was a significant reduction in total cholesterol and LDL after four weeks of intervention, which was maintained in week-8 for the WP and SP groups. In addition, there was an improvement in platelets and plasma homocysteine with WP. Conclusion Our results suggest that the regular intake of the whole peanut as part of an energy-restricted diet showed health benefits since it enhanced body weight loss, besides improving body composition and reducing cholesterol, platelets, and homocysteine concentrations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.