What is in this article?:
- Peanut Board helping consumers understand diet guidelines
- Research findings outlined
• Americans have never been more conscious about eating nutritious foods, but they’re saying they need help to turn that desire into action.
• When you consider that 90 percent of American pantries contain one or more jars of peanut butter, sometimes the challenge is as straightforward as connecting the dots to foods people already enjoy.
Research findings outlined
Among the research findings:
• While 66 percent of respondents believe they are very or generally knowledgeable about nutrition and diet overall, only 33 percent say they are very or generally knowledgeable about plant-based diets.
• 67 percent did not know that eating a more plant-based diet could help manage overeating and craving.
• 38 percent said say they’re mostly or usually eating a plant-based diet today, with 68 percent admitting they definitely or probably should consume more plant-based foods.
• According to respondents, three challenges in particular make it difficult for them to eat a more plant-based diet: eating out or eating at other peoples’ homes, staying with a plant-based diet and finding tasty, enjoyable foods and recipes.
• Fewer than half (41 percent) of respondents said they are very or generally knowledgeable about nuts, their nutritional value or the role they play in eating a more plant-based diet. Peanuts have over 30 nutrients and are packed with more protein than any nut — seven grams per ounce. When you combine nutrition and value, peanuts out perform all other nuts. They can be a nutrient-rich part of a tasty and healthy eating plan to help meet the USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in a variety ways:
• Choose a variety of protein-rich foods: With seven grams of protein per serving, peanuts have the most protein of any nut.
• Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day: Peanuts are naturally low in sodium.
• Consume less than 20 grams of unsaturated fat and consume less than 300 mg per day of dietary cholesterol: Peanuts contain two grams of unsaturated fat and peanuts and peanut butter are cholesterol free.
The national opinion survey of 1,000 U.S. adults age 18 and older was conducted Feb. 2-4, 2011 and drawn from TolunaGreenfield Online’s panel of 3 million Americans. Results have a ±3.5 percent margin of error at 95 percent confidence.