Nuts About Nutrition:
Did you know there are over 50 different kinds of nuts? With so many choices, how do you know which nuts to include in your diet, how to include them and how often?
First, I’ll outline the most common nuts, the main nut categories, and easy ways to include them in your diet. Then I’ll let you decide which ones are right for you!
Let’s start by clearing up exactly what a nut is: a fruit composed of a hard shell and seed, which is generally edible.
The most common nuts we eat are: almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts. Of these, almonds, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts are considered tree nuts. Peanuts are considered legumes.
What’s in a Nut?
Most nuts are high in fat, low in saturated fats, higher in monounsaturated fats (these lower your “bad” cholesterol and raise your “good” cholesterol) and higher in polyunsaturated fats (these raise your “good” cholesterol). This makes them ideal to include in a heart-healthy diet. Much research has been done to prove their effect on lowering blood cholesterol.
Nuts also contain micronutrients such as folate, as well as antioxidants. Per Eimilio Ros and his research article, “Health Benefits of Nut Consumption,” pecans contain the highest level of monounsaturated fats, followed closely by almonds. Macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts contain the highest level of saturated fat, followed by cashews. Walnuts are commonly consumed in the least altered form (raw, unpeeled) helping them to retain most of their healthy fats, antioxidants and fatty acids.
Easy to Add
All nuts can easily be added to your diet. Top cereal with almonds, put walnuts into homemade bread, mix pecans into your granola, grab a handful and eat them by themselves.
Incorporating nuts into your diet doesn’t have to be hard and can be very beneficial. Don’t go overboard though; a one ounce serving a couple times a week is sufficient.
Hopefully if you haven’t joined the nut revolution, this will encourage you to try them out!
Go nuts!
Brittany Lawhorn is the Nutrition Care Manager at Lenbrook, where she helps residents improve or maintain their health with nutrition. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Life University, and is a Registered Dietitian. Brittany is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Health Education from The University of Alabama.