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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Once considered too high in fat to eat regularly, we now know a daily small serving is a healthy habit because nuts are rich in good fats. Nuts are unique in their nutrition chemistry, made up of unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and powerful antioxidants.
Nuts and seeds are pretty much the same – the embryo of a new plant. Tree nuts, like almonds and walnuts, are seeds wrapped in a hard shell. Groundnuts are seeds that grow underground like peanuts. In fact, the peanut is actually a member of the bean family not the nut family.
Which is the most nutritious nut or seed? Like vegetables, all nuts and seeds are good for you, so eating a wide variety is the smartest thing to do.
Almonds: eating them regularly may slow the effects of aging and boost the immune system because they are a top source of alpha-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E that is believed to be heart healthy. California produces over 80% of the world’s almonds which depends heavily on honeybees for pollination. 24 almonds = 129 calories.
Brazil nuts: just 1 nut provides 160% of your daily need for the mineral selenium needed for proper thyroid and immune function, and to protect you against cancers of the prostate, liver and lungs. 8 nuts = 187 calories
Cashews: are an excellent source of zinc needed for healthy vision and a healthy immune system. They also contain cholesterol-lowering phytosterols. 18 nuts = 160 calories
Flax seeds: are rich in omega-3 fats, lignans, phytoestrogens, and fiber making them protective against heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. One tablespoon of flax seeds has as much fiber as a half cup of oat bran, but the seeds must be ground to release their health-promoting properties. 2 tablespoons = 70 calories
Hazelnuts: are also called filberts and are very high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats. Hazelnuts and filberts are so similar that experts can’t tell them apart, but they do grow on different but related trees.
Macadamia nuts: are the highest in total fat and calories, but rich in monounsaturated fats and an excellent source of the B vitamin, thiamin. 11 nuts = 200 calories
Peanuts: are technically beans, but nutritionally they parallel nuts. Peanuts have more protein than other nuts and are rich in the phytochemical resveratrol, found in red grapes and red wine, and saponins which have anticancer properties. For those who are allergic to peanuts, as many as 35% may also develop a tree nut allergy. With new recommendations to introduce young children to peanuts earlier we may see a decline in peanut allergies in the future. 30 nuts = 170 calories
Pecans: are very rich in antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering phytosterols, and gamma-tocopherol, which inhibits cancer cell division. 15 pecan halves = 187 calories
Pine nuts: also called pignoli, pignolia, pinon and Indian nuts, are tiny, torpedo-shaped kernels harvested from pine cones. They are rich in manganese, copper, magnesium zinc and vitamin K, and are an excellent source of cholesterol-lowering phytochemicals.
1 pine nut = 1 calorie
Pistachios: are rich in fiber and potassium which keeps blood pressure normal, and phytosterols which helps lower cholesterol. A study showed that when subjects ate in-shell pistachios they ate 86 calories less than subjects given shelled nuts. This may be due to the time needed for shelling along with the clue provided by the shell debris to show how much was eaten. 47 shelled nuts = 190 calories
Pumpkin seeds: can be dried or roasted. They are lower in fat and higher in protein than most seeds, and are rich in potassium, iron and zinc. 2 tablespoons, shelled = 148 calories
Sesame seeds: despite the tiny size this seed packs a health punch rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Pulverized smooth and creamy sesame seeds become tahini which when combined with pureed chickpeas becomes hummus. 1 teaspoon = 16 calories
Sunflower seeds: are rich in protein, polyunsaturated fats, fiber, magnesium and copper. These seeds are widely used for oil and as the base for margarine, though the oil pressed from seeds does not contain all the health-promoting compounds found in the whole seed. 2 tablespoons = 103 calories
Walnuts: are rich in heart-healthy alpha-linolenic acid, the same type of omega-3 fat found in fish. A one-quarter cup serving provides more than 100% of your daily recommendation of omega-3 fats. Walnuts also contain cholesterol-lowering phytosterols and are rich in gamma-tocopherol which inhibits cancer cell division. 14 walnut halves = 146 calories
Bottom line: Nuts can be part of a healthy eating plan as long as you keep portions to a handful not a can full.
© NH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.