Eating nuts – are they healthy?

nuts

To eat or not to eat nuts? Are nuts healthy? These are questions we get often at Nutted Out Nutrition by people interested in weight management.

In the past nuts have not been recommended to people who are  trying to lose weight due to their high fat content. However research now shows that nuts are a healthy food that everyone can enjoy, even those watching their weight.

Nuts have been shown to have many benefits including being healthy for your heart, decreasing your risk of heart disease and diabetes, helping you to manage your weight and improving your overall general health.

Why are nuts healthy?

Nuts are a fabulous little nutritious bundle and contain a variety of nutrients essential for good health.

Healthy fats, fibre, folate, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, selenium are found in many nuts and can help decrease risks of chronic disease and be beneficial for weight management. Each different type of  nut contains slightly different nutrients , so eating a mix of nut types is great for health. If you only like on or two varieties of nuts- that’s ok- eat a serve of the type you like.

How many are healthy?

Now you know that nuts are healthy, you may be wondering how many are healthy to eat? Just like any food, too much of a good thing is not healthy and nuts are no exception.

A healthy serve size is 30g. It doesn’t matter which kind of nut- it can be 30g of one kind of nut or mixed nuts. How much is 30g you ask? 30g of nuts is around: ¹

  • 20 almonds
  • 10 Brazil nuts
  • 15 cashews
  • 4 chestnuts
  • 20 hazelnuts
  • 15 macadamias
  • 15 pecans
  • 2 tb pine nuts
  • 60 pistachios in shells for 30g of kernels
  • 10 whole walnuts or 20 walnut halves
  • a small handful of mixed nuts
handful nuts
A handful of nuts

Remember to choose unsalted and unflavoured nuts (as nice as honey roasted are they can add unnecessary kilojoules). Salted nuts can add a significant amount of sodium (salt) to your diet. Sodium has been associated with high blood pressure which can be a risk factor for many chronic diseases. At first when you try unsalted nuts, you may think they don’t taste as good as salted nuts, but remember that your taste buds are clever and will adjust to the taste. Just stick with it and you will end up loving them.

The dietitians at Nutted Out Nutrition are on hand to help you improve your eating habits through the foods you eat to decrease your risk of poor health. Many people think they eat well, but many people could benefit from a refresher course in the latest evidence on nutrition and health. That’s where we come in- so book an appointment today to learn more about nutrition and your health.

www.nutsforlife.com.au

Related News

Share this Article