One of the reasons peanut butter is no longer considered healthy is: It’s considered high in aflatoxins.
Peanut butter used to be my go-to snack food. Tasty with an apple or on a banana or on celery. No more. It's not just the sugars that are unhealthy, but now we know about aflatoxins, or mold in peanut processing.
Lots of great info here- also remember that peanuts are technically legumes 👇🏼 Aflatoxins in Peanut Butter (How much do the leading brands have?) https://t.co/Fy2DF9siyn
— Wejolyn 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 (@Wejolyn) November 14, 2022
WHAT ARE AFLATOXINS?
According to the dictionary, aflatoxins are: “any of a class of toxic compounds that are produced by certain molds found in food, and can cause liver damage and cancer”.
Aflatoxins may also produce allergic responses, digestive inflammation, autoimmune or heart issues, problems with growth and development and parasite infestation.
Several mycotoxins in agricultural products cause health hazards and death to people and animals. Aflatoxin is the most potent among mycotoxins.
FOODS WITH AFLATOXINS
Corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts.
From the National Cancer Institute, “Aflatoxins are a family of toxins produced by certain fungi that are found on agricultural crops such as maize (corn), peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts. The main fungi that produce aflatoxins are Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which are abundant in warm and humid regions of the world. Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, and during storage.”
One of the reasons peanut butter is no longer considered healthy is: It’s considered high in aflatoxins.
While many Americans have switched away from eating peanut butter for this reason, similar amounts of mold may pervade most other tree nuts, as well as corn, cassava and oats.
DOES NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER HAVE AFLATOXIN?
The short answer is, yes. But, there are products that don’t and ways to eliminate it.
As you’ll see below, many considerations affect whether or not your peanut butter has mold.
HOW MANY AFLATOXINS ARE ALLOWED IN AMERICAN FOOD PRODUCTS?
Under FDA regulations manufacturers can have a maximum of 20 PPB (20ug/kg) total aflatoxins in food products.
Aflatoxins are actually a group of 4 toxins: AFG1, AFG2, AFB1 and AFB2.
