4 Types of Nuts that are Great for your Diet

When most people think about nuts, we think about the salted peanut, available at the pub in a small packet. This often means that we associate nuts with poor health, mainly because the only times we find ourselves eating peanuts is when it’s Christmas, or when we have beer. Sadly, it means many of us have judged all nuts as unhealthy snacks, and all because of the nut imposter that is the peanut, for its name is deceptive. The peanut is actually a legume. So what about actual nuts? In this blog we’ll look at some nuts that can do wonders for your body and your health…

1. Almonds

Great For – Antioxidants                              Not So Good – Fairly high in fat

Almonds are great antioxidants

Almonds are often used in cooking, but can make an excellent general snack, They have a sweet taste, while not having a vast amount of sweetness in them. Almonds contain 24.5g of fat in a 50g serving. This is not uncommonly high for nuts, and it’s not all bad. Only 2g of the total fat is saturated, and a lot of it is omega 6 fatty acids, great for growth and development. The rest is unsaturated fat, which is essential for the use of antioxidants, and is not the type of fat that clogs arteries. Almonds big pluses include 11% of your RDA iron, and 25% of your RDA of copper. These are both essential minerals for blood creation. Almonds also pack 65% of your RDA of vitamin E, an essential antioxidant which will help convert free radicals created during exercise.

2. Cashews

Great For – Mineral Content      Not So Good – Not too filling

Cashews are one of the more readily available nuts and have a distinctive taste. They don’t contain as much fat as almonds, with 22g per 50g of nuts, but 4g of that is saturated, so they are slightly higher in that respect. That said, they contain complete protein, with 9g per 50g of nuts, and this is accompanied by excellent levels of minerals. Fifty grams of cashews will give you 55% of your daily copper, 40% of your daily manganese, which is great for energy production, 30% of your RDA phosphorus essential for cell function and energy creation and 36% of your RDA magnesium, which is great for muscle function. Overall, the cashew might be slightly higher in fat, but only 50g can boost your mineral levels, acting like a natural multi-mineral.

3. Chestnuts

Great For – Low fat                         Not So Good – Limited protein and mineral content

Chestnuts are commonly sourced as a winter food, particularly around thanksgiving and Christmas. They might be an excellent addition to turkey meals, but the chestnut is also a healthy option for snacking and adding to dishes throughout the year. Chestnuts contain almost no fat, which is brilliant for weight loss. In addition, all the calories in chestnuts comes in the form of carbohydrates, mostly starch, which adds to slow release energy.  Chestnuts are also an excellent source of vitamin C, with 50g of nuts giving you 34% of your RDA. Vitamin C is excellent for boosting your immune system, and will support your body’s defences. Chestnuts have also got good levels of B vitamins and potassium, so they improve energy metabolism and hydration levels.

4. Brazil nuts

Great For – Antioxidants and Mood        Not So Good – Saturated Fat

Ok, so brazil nuts are a bit on the cheeky side. In 50g of nuts you will find 7.5g of saturated fat. It is a little high, about 35% of your RDA, but if you are watching your saturated fat levels in other meals, you can afford to add some here. As a result, brazil nuts are higher in calories than other nuts we have looked at. That said, they also have huge levels of omega 6 fatty acids, as well as vast amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, copper, thiamine, manganese and zinc (which will boost your sperm count gentlemen!). These nuts also contain 15% of your RDA of vitamin E, an essential antioxidant, as well as the brazil nuts trump card, selenium. Selenium is essential for thyroid function and antioxidant properties. Recent studies have also found that selenium boosts mood and reduces depression. So if you have a dark chocolate covered brazil nut (chocolate release endorphins, which are happy hormones) you are onto an amazing mood boosting nut!

Nut so good?

Some nuts are high in fats, like most nuts, but are lacking in the boosting properties of their healthier alternatives, and as such, should be avoided more often than not. The following nuts make the FO-OD  ‘nut so good’ list of nuts to avoid…

·         Macadamia nuts – High in saturated fats, but low in omega 6 fatty acids, and also lacking in vitamins and minerals

·         Pecans – High in fat and not too filling. Other nuts have much better levels of vitamins and minerals without the high fat levels.

·         Walnuts – High fat levels, including saturated fat, and low levels of antioxidants. You might find evidence that they have good levels of omega 3 fatty acids, which they do, but not as much as oily fish, which contain more protein and less fat.

Conclusions

Nuts are a healthy option for snacking and are now widely available. It is important to stay away from salted nuts, as the extra sodium is never really needed. Some nuts are certainly better than others and it is important to consider your diet and nutrition needs before choosing which nuts to eat. Always limit your serving to a maximum 50g, as this means you get good nutrition without the large amount of fat that can come from a nut source.

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Happy Eating!