Peanuts rank among the most useful farm crops because they pack a lot of nutrients. A handful delivers protein, fiber, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. The protein helps children build new muscle plus repair tissue - the fiber keeps bowels regular and holds off hunger -
the vitamins but also minerals strengthen immunity, sharpen brain work and harden bones.
Peanuts also help the mind grow. The fats labeled omega-3 as well as omega-6 feed brain cells - children concentrate better and keep facts in memory. The slow release calories steady blood sugar, which wards off afternoon slumps or keeps kids alert in class.
People eat peanuts in many simple ways - straight from the shell, stirred into stews, ground into sweets or churned into peanut butter. The nuts fit vegetarian meals and skip gluten - most diets accept them. Outside the kitchen, peanut oil softens skin also peanut meal scrubs it.
In poor nations, peanuts grow where other crops fail. The plants tolerate thin soil and still yield food dense with nutrients. If villages plant more peanuts, if banks lend farmers seed money next to if parents learn to serve the nuts, hungry children gain weight and health.
A peanut is a small step toward a healthy life. Doctors plus nutritionists urge parents to add peanuts to lunches, because a well fed child today becomes a stronger adult tomorrow.
Lake Como sits in northern Italy's Lombardy region and ranks among Europe's most visited places. The water lies 50 km north of Milan - a quiet rural mood meets an easy city link. The lake looks like an upside down Y and runs 46 km, the third biggest in Italy.
High Alps rise behind it - small old villages dot the shore. The water stays turquoise plus the gardens stay green in every season because the weather stays mild.
Nature, rest and high-end service mix here - film stars and well-off guests return again but also again. Top hotels stand right on the banks. Villa d’Este, a palace built in the 1500s, gives guests lake view gardens, pools and a spa. Grand Hotel Tremezzo besides Villa Serbelloni sell the same comfort and romance.
People who love food find serious restaurants. Lucrezia serves Italian dishes with a new twist - Maimo cooks fish that left the lake or sea the same morning. Beyond the luxury, the area still gives plenty to do.
Bellagio, called the “Pearl of the Lake,” keeps old stone lanes, bright gardens or Villa Melzi. A slow boat ride shows the same shore from the water. Villa Balbianello next to Villa Carlotta open doors to grand rooms as well as rare plants.
Guests who want action rent a kayak, ride a bike or walk high trails that give wide views over water and peaks. A fast train or car reaches Milan for fashion and shops - a short drive north crosses the Swiss border to Lugano, another lake town with cafés or mountain views.
Lake Como mixes five star comfort, quiet wellness spots and classic Italian scenery - the stay stays fixed in memory long after the trip ends.
Venice sits in northern Italy. People everywhere know it for its romantic mood, old buildings and the web of water streets that replace roads. Many call it the “City of Lovers.” Each year, millions arrive to walk the stone lanes plus ride the water buses and taxis. The Grand Canal,
the widest water street, has tall palaces on both sides that were built hundreds of years ago. A quiet ride in a flat bottomed gondola shows those palaces from water level.
The Rialto Bridge is the oldest bridge over the Grand Canal. Shops line both sides of the stone arch but also sell beads, scarves and souvenirs. From the top step, visitors see boats pass below. A short walk leads to St. Mark's Square, a wide open space of smooth flagstones. The Basilica of St. Mark stands at the east end - its domes are covered with gold mosaics. Cafés set tables under canvas awnings as well as musicians play while tourists drink coffee.
Venice remains a living stage for art. Every two years, the Venice Biennale fills old warehouses and gardens with new paintings, films or sculptures. Antonio Vivaldi was born here - his red haired priest figure still appears on postcards. La Fenice opera house reopened after two fires - velvet seats, gilded balconies and a painted ceiling greet each audience. On side alleys, furnaces melt sand into Murano glass. In other workshops, layers of papier-mâché become carnival masks painted with gold leaf also feathers.
Ten days before Lent, the city holds the Carnival. People wear silk capes, three cornered hats and masks held by ribbons. Street actors juggle fire, drums echo under the arcades next to confetti sticks to wet stone. Food stalls sell squid ink risotto that turns lips black and fried crab claws wrapped in soft polenta.
A trip to Venice includes art, history, boat rides plus meals of fresh fish. The place looks and feels unlike any other city because its ways, foods but also festivals began over a thousand years ago and continue today.
