You Don’t Absorb All the Calories in Nuts
Who can pass up a calorie freebie? Several recent studies show that not all of the fat in pistachios and almonds is absorbed. In fact, up to 15% of the fat in pistachios and 20% of the fat in almonds passes right through your body. The good news? Those “vanishing calories” won’t end on your hips, thighs or mid-section. That makes nuts a winner when it comes to your waistline.
Pine Nuts Help to Control Your Appetite
Pine nuts are actually a seed, but most people still think of them as a nut. Pine nuts are rich in a polyunsaturated fat called pinolenic acid. When you munch on pine nuts, pinolenic acid stimulates the release of a hormone called CCK by the intestines that slows down stomach emptying and turns off your appetite. Sprinkle a handful on a salad for even more nutritional benefits. The natural fats in pine nuts will increase absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids from the veggies.
Portion Control is Important
Nuts have health benefits, but they’re not low in calories. Most nutritionists recommend eating no more than an ounce of nuts a day since an ounce of nuts has between 160 and 200 calories. Here’s how many of each type of nut makes up an ounce:
Pine nuts 150 nuts
Pistachios 47 nuts
Peanuts 28 nuts
Almonds 22 nuts
Pecans 18 halves
Cashews 17 nuts
Hazelnuts 18 nuts
Walnuts 14 halves
Macadamias 12 nuts
Brazil nuts 7 nuts
People Who Eat Nuts Are Less Likely to Gain Weight
Since an ounce of nuts has between 160 and 200 calories per ounce, you might think nuts aren’t a good snack choice. Not so. A study carried out at Purdue University showed that women who added 2-ounces of nuts a day to their diet without otherwise changing how they ate or exercised didn’t gain weight over a 10-week period. Aside from the fact that nuts are filling due to their protein and fiber content, there’s some evidence that nuts modestly increase fat-burning. Plus, not all of the calories in nuts are absorbed. In reality, eating an ounce of nuts a day could make it easier to control your weight.
Choosing the Best Nut for the Job
If you’re trying to get more vitamin E in your diet, almonds and hazelnuts are the best choices. An ounce of these crunchy nuts supplies more than a quarter of the recommended daily intake of this antioxidant vitamin. Brazil nuts are a top source of selenium, a mineral that’s used to make important antioxidant enzymes. There’s ongoing research looking at whether selenium can reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
When it comes to healthy fats, macadamia nuts top the list. Macadamias have the greatest quantity of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that help to lower LDL-cholesterol, the type that’s linked with heart disease and stroke. Because they’re higher in fat, macadamia nuts are also more calorie-dense. If you’re watching your weight, pistachios are your best bet. You can enjoy around 47 nuts for around 157 calories.
The Bottom Line?
Nuts are a healthy snack with some surprising health benefits. Treat yourself to an ounce a day (about a handful), and enjoy the nutritional benefits they offer.
References:
Berkeley Wellness Letter. “Why Go Nuts”
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012 ajcn.035782
Circulation. 1999; 100: 1253-1258.
American Heart Association. “Monounsaturated Fat”
Related Articles By Cathe:
4 Types of Appetite-Suppressing Foods That Control Hunger
Beyond Peanut Butter: Discover the Health Benefits of Other Nut Butters
6 Surprising Health Facts about Nuts
One thing not mentioned is that nuts — like all seeds and grains — must be soaked before eaten raw because heat destroys many of the nutritents that nuts contain — or changes them so that the body cannot easily assimilate them. But in order to eat them raw, one must soak them because like all seeds and grains, they contain phytates (anti-nutrients) that can cause the body to be unable to assimilate very essential and needed minerals.
Some recommend soaking them overnight in salt water, which is what I do. MKany nuts can also be sprouted, which makes the nutrients in them even more available to the body for use.
Wish I could edit that — here’s what I should’ve said. Nuts should be soaked before eaten raw — I soak mine in salt water — and they should be eaten raw instead of baked or cooked because heat destroys many of the nutrients found in nuts or makes them not easily assimilated by the body.