CJB wrote:

> I just rub the peanuts with my fingers if I want to remove them
> (they usually come off no problem), but these days I more often
> than not keep the red skins on for the antioxidant benefits.

Benefits? I avoid peanuts for health reasons.

In this study, 10 out of 36 participants were found to be
positive for the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen, which
causes the cells of their rectum to divide rapidly (possible
risk factor for colorectal cancer) when they eat peanuts.

Gastroenterology 1998 Jan;114(1):44-9
Peanut ingestion increases rectal proliferation in individuals
with mucosal expression of peanut lectin receptor.
Ryder SD, Jacyna MR, Levi AJ, Rizzi PM, Rhodes JM.
Department of Gastroenterology, Northwick Park Hospital,
Middlesex, England.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The Thomsen-Friedenreich
blood group antigen (galactose beta 1,3-N-acetyl
galactosamine alpha-) acts as an oncofetal antigen
in the colonic epithelium, with low expression in
normal adult epithelia but increasing to fetal levels
of expression in hyperplasia or malignancy. Peanut
lectin is one of the commonest dietary lectins that
binds this antigen. The aim of this study was to
determine whether peanut ingestion can alter rectal
epithelial proliferation.

METHODS: Thirty-six patients with normal colonic
mucosa consumed 100 g of peanuts each
day for 5 days. Rectal mitotic index was measured
before and after ingestion, and changes in
proliferation were correlated with immunohistochemical
detection of lectin receptor expression by
colonocytes and fecal lectin activity as measured
by hemagglutination assay.

RESULTS: Peanut ingestion caused a 41% increase
in rectal mucosal proliferation in individuals with
macroscopically normal mucosa who express
TF antigen in their rectal mucosae (10 of 36
patients studied). The proliferative response
correlated with fecal hemagglutinating activity, and
peanut lectin could be shown immunohistochemically
within the rectal mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS: The common expression
of galactose beta 1,3-N-acetyl galactosamine
alpha- by hyperplastic and neoplastic epithelia
may therefore be functionally important because it
allows interaction with mitogenic dietary lectins.
This could be an important mechanism for the
association between diet and colorectal cancer.