Can eating groundnut actually cause pimples?

Dear groundnut, peanut lovers, it’s time to face the bitter truth.

Groundnut is a very common food consumed in this part of the world, it’s partially salty taste makes it go with all kinds of food and of course, its a good source of protein.

We all have heard someone say don’t eat groundnut, you’ll get acne or as very popular here, Pimples. Well is this true or false?

Is it a myth or a fact?

Well, that’s why we are here. By the time you’re done reading this post, you’ll see for yourself. Before we dive into the groundnut story, let’s talk a little about acne.

Acne (Pimples)

Acne, also known as acne vulgaris. Acne is a long-term skin disease, it occurs when hair follicles are clogged up with oil from the skin and dead cells.It majorly affects the face. It affects other parts of the body such as the upper part of the chest and back.

It is characterized by blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and possible scarring. Individuals with acne may show signs of anxiety, reduced self-esteem, and in extreme cases depression or thoughts of suicide.

These are not medical symptoms but psychological effects as a result of the facial appearance while suffering from acne.

Now the groundnut story.

Groundnuts

Groundnuts are not originally nuts! They are of the legume family which means they are related to beans, lentils, soy, peas and so on.

The groundnut is also known as peanut or goober.

Did you know that peanuts (groundnuts) are a terrific source of protein? Groundnut contains about 26 nutrients which include: niancin, folates panthothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, choline, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and so on (Learn More).

Peanut butter contains an antioxidant called coumarin, which theoretically could be good for acne. Antioxidants, in general, protect against oxidative stress, which is a big criminal in the acne process.

Peanuts and Pimples (Acne)

Why would I eat groundnut (peanuts) then get acne?

There are various relationships between peanuts and acne. Below are four reasons why you get acne after eating groundnuts.

Let’s dive in.

1. Polyunsaturated Fats

Peanut is a true oil plant as it contains many fats.

When made into a paste, that is Peanut butter, two tablespoons of this paste have about 19% of fats in it. Now the fat present in a peanut can be classified as saturated, mono-saturated and poly-unsaturated. The saturated and mono-saturated fats are very healthy fats so there’s nothing to worry about on that one.

So, this is the first major problem. The poly-unsaturated fat we’re talking about here is Omega-6. Omega-6 is capable of causing acne in a very bad way!

What does this Omega-6 guy really do in the body?

The body uses Omega-6 fats to produce cytokines and prostaglandins, these are responsible for starting inflammation in the body which in turn signals your immune system to fight and clean up any mess anywhere in the body.

Sounds great!

The issue here is this, when you consume foods like peanut excessively and you have a high content of Omega-6 fats in your body, inflammations are triggered more often and the ability of the body to be able to stop these inflammations becomes reduced.

This then results in inflammations on your face that is acne.

2. Peanut Agglutinin

Peanut agglutinin is a complicated name for a peanut protein (a lectin). This protein is very bad for you as it causes various digestive disorders. The major one here is ‘leaky gut’.

Yes! leaky gut.

Leaky gut is a digestive disorder that occurs as a result of the presence of tiny microscopic holes in the walls of the stomach or the walls of the intestine which allows for the passage of food particles directly into your bloodstream.

However, this is a major way that people develop food allergies, systemic inflammation and auto-immune disorders. More importantly, it is very bad for your skin.

The protein lectin also stimulates a hormone which causes increased inflammation and pore blockage. This causes more acne.

So Does Eating Groundnut Give You Pimples? Myth or Fact

There are certain studies that claim that groundnut does not have any relationship with acne.

Of course, peanut contains the anti-oxidant coumarin which is definitely great for your skin. It is obvious that it does more harm than good when it comes to the almighty pimples topic.

We certainly think groundnut causes pimples, its worse with those that are allergic to groundnuts. If they aren’t good for you just avoid them. Simple!

Affected by acne (Pimples?) See 11 simple acne home remedies you can use now 🙂