This morning my husband and I were discussing peanuts. Why? Because he remembered me saying something about roasted peanuts being a carcinogen. So, I looked it up. I researched what would have made me say that at one point in time. This was all while my husband was eating some peanut butter, of course! So, what did I find? Yes, peanuts can contain a carcinogen called aflatoxins. They have been known to cause liver cancer in lab rats. The lab rats were given ridiculous amounts of aflatoxins at one time, but still liver cancer happened in those poor little white, ugly, creepy critters. Life stinks if you're a lab rat, nuff said. Anyway, back to the peanuts. Peanuts aren't even nuts. They are legumes. More closely related to the bean than the nut. The question is, what causes peanuts to contain aflatoxins? Aflatoxins are formed in certain strains of mold. They effect peanuts when conditions are favorable for this mold to grow.....think warm, damp, dark locations of storage. Before the peanuts are even roasted they could have this mold on them. But what I found most interesting in what I read is that your big name store brands are the ones with the lowest amounts of this carcinogen and the largest amounts being found in the peanut butter ground fresh in health food stores.
So, what is the conclusion? Should you skip out on your peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch? That is up to you. There are other alternatives to peanut butter. You can try almond butter. Or go with an organic brand choice. Truth be told, even the store brands most likely use GMO peanuts and there are other ingredients besides salt and peanuts (try sugars and hydrogenated oils). Whatever you choose for your peanut butter craving, it is a good idea to make the best choice for you and your family. There are better alternatives out there for the health conscious. But also limiting your peanut butter intake is probably wise too! Do your own research and decide for yourself. Leave a thought or two in the comments section too!
Sources:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA115491
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002429.htm
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/aflatoxin.php
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