It took a daub of massage oil into the cap and some serious effort to pry open the oversized, vacuum-sealed jar of peanuts I’m currently munching on. I almost gave up, too, and went for the oatmeal crème pies lounging – open, temping – next to the nuts. Fortunately I was able to remember the reason I was munching: I was hungry.

A sugary treat would trick my body into thinking I’d provided it with energy for the day. After all, our sweet teeth were designed to help us track down the fruits and berries that, once upon a time, actually did serve this function. Although we don’t still rely on those natural sweets to power us through our days, the taste for sugar retains a primitive pull. The ease with which we gorge ourselves on sugary foods gives away the power of our addiction.

The problem, of course, is that the sweetest foods are no longer the healthiest. Even though I’m tired of the peanuts now (they proved a bit too salty, and the fridge and water are juuust too far away), I’m still thinking, “how bad could a crème pie be?” Here’s the news. Although the peanuts taste salty, the crème pies are actually loaded with even more sodium. Otherwise the foods supply about the same number of calories – and the peanuts have a load of fiber to boot.

The best news here is that the nuts are providing a nice dose of unsaturated fats – about 14 grams of it. All fats are loaded with calories, making them great energy providers. “Greasy” or “buttery” foods, as well as many processed sweets, provide their energy through “saturated” fats. These fats, due to their chemical structure, are solids at room temperature. A stick of butter is the best image here. When this sort of fat gets into your arteries, it can still solidify, causing the sorts of nasty plaques and blockages that lead to serious heart problems.

Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are liquids. These are found in “oily” foods (think fish and nuts). Many vitamins, including those “omega-n fatty acids” we’re hearing a lot about, can be transported only with a sufficient supply of fats. Unsaturated fat is a much better choice than the saturated kind here. Since they won’t solidify in your arteries, the risk of heart disease is greatly reduced, although all fats should still be consumed in moderation.

These unsaturated fats, besides providing critical functions for your body, are providing a lot of calories – energy – to your body and mind. If you want to see just how much, light a single peanut on fire. Hold in an old pair of tweezers or skewer it with a fork, then hold a lighter to it until it catches. The flame is produced by the oils and fats within the nut, and will put out exactly as much energy as the peanut holds.

Your body uses the peanut in exactly the same way to get energy, just on a much smaller scale. If you have a test tube, you can boil water using the peanut. Do not use a glass, you’ll end up with fragments on the floor (trust me, I tried it). You’ll be surprised how hot and long the peanut can burn. So if you’re looking for a good source of healthy energy, be sure to check that nutrition label and find fatty foods without saturated fats.

(photo credit: blinked and mandj98, who has a ton of awesome squirrel pictures)

Related posts:

7 Ways to Spice up Dinner

The Power of Nutrition

The War Within

Best of the Web