🌿 Folk Prescriptions

"Eat peanuts with their red skin," a fact widely recognized, as the thin red outer layer offers many benefits. However, some believe "elderly people should avoid peanuts, or if eaten, must remove the red skin." What exactly are the benefits of this thin red skin? Is it suitable for everyone?
The blood-nourishing and hemostatic effects of peanuts primarily come from the red skin. Peanuts are globally recognized as a healthy food and considered one of China's "Top Ten Longevity Foods." TCM believes peanuts regulate the spleen and stomach, nourish blood, stop bleeding, lower blood pressure, and reduce lipids. The blood-nourishing and hemostatic effects mainly stem from the red skin.<U>TCM</U> theory holds that "the spleen governs blood"; those with qi deficiency easily bleed. Since peanut red skin tonifies spleen and stomach qi, it achieves blood-nourishing and hemostasis—known as "tonifying qi to stop bleeding" in TCM. Western medicine suggests the red skin inhibits fibrinolysis, increases platelet count, improves platelet quality, corrects clotting factor defects, enhances capillary contraction, and stimulates bone marrow hematopoiesis. Thus, it shows significant effectiveness for various bleeding disorders and anemia caused by bleeding, including aplastic anemia.
Females should eat peanut red skin regularly. Women, especially during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and lactation, lose more blood and nutrients. Peanut red skin greatly benefits them by nourishing and replenishing blood. Additionally, it promotes hair growth and darkens hair. TCM believes "hair is the remainder of blood"; hair loss and graying result from blood deficiency depriving hair of nourishment. Peanut red skin nourishes blood and replenishes it, making hair darker and shinier.
Some reports suggest that because peanut red skin enhances coagulation, it may not suit those with high blood viscosity, potentially increasing thrombosis risk. However, this view is not widely accepted. Most experts believe red skin promotes platelet production, prevents platelet aggregation, and may help prevent cardiovascular diseases—the leading cause of death in the elderly. Generally, people consume peanuts with their skins. Peanuts contain unsaturated fatty acids, which lower blood lipids and serum cholesterol, reducing coronary heart disease risk, preventing platelet aggregation, and blocking thrombus formation.
Patients with bruises and swelling from injuries should avoid peanut red skin. Even the best foods aren't suitable for everyone. Elderly people shouldn’t eat peanuts without caution. For example, those with bruising and swelling from injuries should avoid it. The red skin stops bleeding and promotes coagulation; consuming too much may worsen blood stasis and aggravate swelling. Some elderly people have poor digestion ("weak spleen, loose stools") and should avoid peanuts, as they contain abundant oil with mild laxative effects, worsening diarrhea. Also, since peanuts are high in fat, they require more bile for digestion. Thus, elderly people who have undergone gallbladder removal or suffer from severe gallbladder disease should avoid eating peanuts in excess. — Zhang Qian, Jinan Workers’ Hospital