Moldy Peanuts: Something To Worry About? Get Our Takes…

Plus a deep dive into garlic - a food that is medicine!

This week, we're diving into the buzz around moldy peanuts - a headline stirring up some concern about peanut butter. We're breaking down the facts and sharing some simple ways to keep yourself safe. Plus, we spotlight garlic, a kitchen essential we love and recommend. It's a true "food as medicine" hero that belongs in every pantry.

We want to know: What do you think about moldy peanuts? Has it affected your purchases of peanut butter? Have you chosen other nut products to avoid peanuts? Become a paid subscriber to join the conversation!

Moldy Peanuts: Something To Worry About?

Dr. Weil’s Take:

Diana and I were recently discussing the concern of mold growing on peanuts, mentioning that people have become increasingly fearful of peanut butter because of this issue. I’ve been writing about this for years, so it’s not a new concept. The concern is aflatoxins - naturally occurring toxins produced by the molds Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus that can grow on peanuts during cultivation, harvest, and storage, especially in warm, humid conditions. However, they don’t just grow on peanuts; aflatoxins have been found in pecans, pistachios, and walnuts, as well as milk, grains, soybeans, and spices.

These compounds are known carcinogens and have been linked to liver cancer in laboratory animals. The U.S. has strict regulations to keep exposure levels low. The FDA doesn’t allow peanuts or peanut products to be sold for human or animal consumption if they contain more than 20 parts per billion of aflatoxins. While we don’t know about the long-term effects of consuming low levels, there has been no increase of liver cancer among American children, who tend to consume a lot of peanut butter.