I love peanut butter. I've been known on occasion to eat it by the spoonful, right out of the jar.

You shouldn't follow my example, but you should know that peanuts can be beneficial to your health.

For a while, peanuts had a bad reputation among people trying to cut fat from their diets. But in the past few years, peanuts have become more popular as part of a heart-healthy diet. It's time we all realized that the peanut is not our enemy, but rather our friend.

Not all high-calorie and high-fat foods are bad. Peanuts are full of vitamins B6, E and niacin, and include the minerals zinc, potassium and magnesium. They also contain a healthy dose of protein and fiber.

Peanuts have unsaturated fats, or anti-artery-clogging fats. Research at Penn State and other universities has shown peanuts can lower bad cholesterol and help with weight loss.

When it comes to choosing a variety of peanut butter, pick what pleases your palate the most. Some health experts claim that natural peanut butter is better than Jif, Skippy and Peter Pan because of the fats they contain. However, the partially hydrogenated oils ("bad" fats) in these brands, which keep shelf life longer, are not used in significant amounts.

In addition, reduced-fat and full-fat peanut butters contain no significant difference in calories. However, there are about 200 calories in one handful (2 tablespoons) of nuts, so portion control is very important.

The Food and Drug Administration suggests 1.5 ounces of peanuts or nuts per day may help prevent heart disease and increase overall health.

Peanuts' role in preventing heart disease goes even further. Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, is also found in small amount in peanuts. Also linked to this antioxidant is the so-called "French Paradox," which claims that French red wine drinkers have a low incidence of heart disease.

The good news about peanuts seems to be catching on. The Peanut Institute said overall consumption of peanuts jumped last year to nearly 1.7 billion pounds, compared with 1.5 billion pounds the year before.

So come on, everybody's doing it. In small amounts -- not spoonfuls at a time -- you can make peanuts a part of your healthy diet.