# Is it OK to eat peanut shells? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395 "2005-08-31T06:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/1 "2005-08-31T06:24:27Z")
Tonight, I was eating a bag of peanuts in the shell, and I gave one to my friend who popped the whole thing in his mouth, chewed it and swallowed it all. I usually…take the peanut _out_ of the shell. But right now, as I speak, I’m eating peanuts, and I decided to try eating a litle bit of the shell along with the nut for the salty taste. Is this ok? Is it healthy? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/2 "2005-08-31T06:46:18Z")
Why would you want to? ---
**Author:** ![robotic\_panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@robotic\_panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robotic_panda)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/3 "2005-08-31T09:24:12Z")
I don’t see how it could be unhealthy (other than the salt content)… aren’t the peanut shells made of mostly fiber? Ok, I managed to find this, which sums it up nicely: [All About Peanuts](http://www.aboutpeanuts.com/faq.php) > [@www.aboutpeanuts.com](#): > > Is it okay to eat peanuts shell and all? > Yes, peanut shells may be eaten. In fact, many people report that they enjoy peanuts including the shell and food scientist indicate that its okay. The chemical composition of peanuts shells varies with the peanut variety and shelling conditions but here is their approximate composition: Crude Fiber 60%; Cellulose 25%; Water 8%; Crude Protein 6%; Ash 2%; Fat 1% Anecdotally, I ate peanuts with the shell still on all the time when I was little, and as far as I know I’m ok… **CynicalGabe** , the shell is the saltiest bit, and some people go for that sort of thing. I enjoyed it immensely when I was young, but now I prefer just the peanuts. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/4 "2005-08-31T11:19:54Z")
I gotta say, though, if you’re going to do that, don’t eat too many at one time, and drink lots of water. All that fiber will bind you up something fierce if you’re not careful. A related article from [Cecil Himself](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_102b.html) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/5 "2005-08-31T12:35:03Z")
There is/was a dog food sold as a prescription reducing diet that had peanut hulls as its primary ingredient. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/6 "2005-08-31T15:27:38Z")
I would guess that the only downside is that seeing as people are not expecting you to eat the shell, they don’t go to any lengths to get them clean and pesticide free. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/7 "2005-08-31T20:19:16Z")
It seems to me that the rough, fibrous shells might also scratch up your esophagus when you swallow them, might they not? ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/8 "2005-08-31T21:20:56Z")
I’ve been told the fertilizers they use in peanut fields make eating the shells a risky proposition, but I can’t find a cite. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/9 "2005-08-31T21:33:41Z")
The peanuts, in shell, are washed before salting and roasting, so dirt and pesticides shouldn’t be a problem. However, opening the shell gives you a chance to see and throw out the occasional bad nut. That way, your heirs won’t have to sing that silly song about you. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/10 "2005-08-31T21:37:20Z")
I’ve been known to eat the shell of soft-boiled peanuts. Never had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-eat-peanut-shells/319395/11 "2005-08-31T22:31:12Z")
As someone who has eaten many a peanut in the shell in his time, I can report that the main problem is (potential TMI here) the shell fragments, even when presumably well chewed, tend to remain hard and pointy on the way out. Ouch.