To cook or not to cook?

Cooking high fat foods may unlock extra calories

No, it’s not a magic trick. Past studies have shown cooking foods high in starch or protein, such as beans or meat, increases energy availability. For the first time, Harvard researchers have looked at the effect of cooking foods high in fat and its effect on caloric availability.

Havard researchers examined in their study from 2014 the caloric availability of peanuts, which have 14 grams of fat per ounce, and found out that a diet of whole, roasted peanuts resulted in the greatest increase in body mass: cooked peanuts provided more energy from fat compared with raw peanuts. Researchers suggest the cooking process “pre-digests” the peanut oils, making it easier for enzymes to digest the fats once they are eaten. Interestingly, blending peanuts with a food processor did not increase energy gain in this study.

These results have important implications for weight loss strategies and public health. First, standard nutritional analysis does not take into consideration the method of cooking – or lack thereof – meaning cooked and raw peanuts or other high-fat foods may actually vary in total caloric content. Utilizing roasted rather than raw peanuts could be more efficient in promoting weight gain in malnourished children.

We love peanuts both roasted and raw – the difficulty for most people is determining the proper portion size. For whole peanuts, that’s one ounce, or 28 peanuts.

Your Dole Team