Almonds vs Peanuts: Which Is Less Inflammatory?
Almonds
Peanuts
Almonds are less inflammatory than peanuts, and they beat them on more than the score. People who ate a handful of almonds a day for six weeks saw their inflammation markers come down, without losing any weight.
Peanuts did nothing of the sort. Eaten steadily for months, they left those same markers roughly where they started, which makes them neutral rather than helpful. Part of the reason is that a peanut is a legume, not a nut, and it grows underground in a damp shell. Buy your almonds with the brown skin still on, because that skin holds most of the plant compounds, and keep them unsalted.
Side by side
| Almonds | Peanuts | |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Score | Low · 2/10 | Medium · 5/10 |
| Category | Nuts & Seeds | Nuts & Seeds |
| Serving size | 1 small handful (28 g, about 23 nuts) | 1 small handful (28 g) |
| Key nutrients | Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), Proanthocyanidins (in the skin), Magnesium, Riboflavin (B2) | Oleic acid, Niacin, Magnesium, Peanut protein (allergen) |
| How often | Daily, one small handful, plain and unblanched | A small handful a few times a week, raw or dry roasted |
On the AIP diet
Almonds
Almonds come out during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol, along with every other nut and seed. Almond flour and almond butter go with them, which is what makes AIP baking awkward at first: coconut flour and cassava flour take over. Almonds usually come back in the first rounds of reintroduction, and a few plain ones with the skins on make a clean test.
Peanuts
Peanuts come out during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol, and they come out as a legume rather than as a nut. Legume seeds carry defensive proteins that survive cooking, and the worry is what those do to an irritated gut lining. Peanuts sit at the harder end: most legumes are tried again early, while peanuts are left until late, because people react to them so often.
What each one brings
Almonds
- Much of the fat stays locked inside the nut, so fewer calories reach you than the label says
- The densest everyday source of vitamin E, the antioxidant that protects your cell membranes
- The brown skin holds the plant compounds, so unblanched almonds beat pale ones
- A daily handful for six weeks moved inflammation markers, with no weight lost
Peanuts
- The fat is largely the same monounsaturated kind that makes up olive oil, at a fraction of the price
- Cheap protein and fibre in something most people file as a snack rather than as food
- One of the better everyday sources of magnesium and niacin
- Eaten steadily for months, they leave the inflammation markers roughly where they were
Watch out for
Almonds
- Ground into flour or butter the cells are already broken, so more of the fat comes out
- One of the most common tree nut allergies, and a severe one
- Honey roasted, salted or chocolate coated almonds are a sweet, not a nut
- Easy to eat half a bag without noticing, at 160 calories a handful
Peanuts
- Not a nut but a legume, which is why the Autoimmune Protocol removes them with beans
- The leading food allergy in children and a common trigger of a severe reaction
- They grow underground in a damp shell, so mould and its toxin are a quality question
- Most peanut butter carries added sugar and hardened oil on top of the peanuts
Get the inflammation score of any meal
Just snap a photo or describe your food to get its inflammation score and uncover hidden patterns that may be affecting your well-being.
