Benefits of Nuts

Nuts are one of my favorite snacks because they are delicious and good for you. Many people are scared of nuts because they are high in calories and fat but when eaten properly, they are beneficial to our health.

Health Benefits of Nuts:

Nuts are good for our heart. Researchers found that people who eat nuts regularly have lower risk of heart disease. (1996 Iowa Women’s Health Study, 1998 Harvard School of Public Health) In 1992, researchers working on the Adventist Health Study at Loma Linda University in California reported that those eating nuts daily had up to 60% fewer heart attacks than those who ate nuts less than once per month.

Nuts contain lots of good fat. Nuts contain low levels of saturated fats and high levels of unsaturated fats, like mono and polyunsaturated fats. These oils are known to lower blood cholesterol levels. Several studies found that eating 50 to 100g of nuts daily can reduce cholesterol levels from 2 percent to 20 percent.

Nuts are rich in antioxidants, mineral and nutrients, such as vitamin E, selenium, folic acid, copper, magnesium, manganese, plant sterols and the amino acid arginine, which all play a role in preventing heart disease.

Nuts are a good source of protein. One ounce or approximately ¼ cup of nuts has 7 grams of protein.

Nuts are rich in fiber. One ounce or approximately ¼ cup of nuts has 4 grams of fiber.
Walnuts contain more Omega-3 fat than any other nut. Omega-3 fats may help the body reduce inflammation that can lead to heart disease and cancer as well as lower bad LDL cholesterol and protect against irregular heart rhythms.

FAQ’s

• What’s the appropriate portion of nuts? Studies suggest that 1-2oz (¼ – ½ cup) of nuts should be consumed daily to gain the maximum heart benefits seen. It is unknown whether larger amounts have further benefit.
• Does too much nuts put weight on? Supposedly, nuts do not seem to cause weight gain. According to the Harvard Nurses Study, the frequent nut consumers were actually a little thinner on average than those who almost never consumed nuts.  I personally eat a ton of nuts and recommend them to my clients.  I highly agree that nuts do not put on weight.
• Roasted vs. raw nuts? When roasting nuts, their natural oils may become slightly damaged so raw nuts are preferable. However, raw nuts are a little harder to digest. If your digestion is poor, roasted nuts are a better choice and pureed raw nuts (nut butters) would be the optimal choice.
• How can you stop pure nut butters from separating? Oil separation is completely normal, but it can be annoying. Just remove the cap of the jar and heat the jar in the microwave oven for about one minute. Put the jar on a paper towels in case a little oil spills out, then stir the contents until all the oil is blended into the nut butter. Replace the cap and refrigerate the jar. The oil will not separate out again.

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