If nuts aren’t a part of your regular diet, consider making them one.
There’s strong evidence that eating more nuts can help you live longer in good health.
Nutrient-dense nuts are staple ingredients in many well-studied dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diets, as well as the cholesterol-lowering Portfolio diet.
They’re also incorporated into many healthy traditional Asian diets.
Here’s a primer on nuts – their health advantages and key nutrients, plus alternatives if you have a nut allergy.
How eating nuts can protect health
There is consistent evidence that a higher intake of nuts helps lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and dying from cardiovascular disease. Eating nuts is also linked with protection from Type 2 diabetes.
Nuts have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream, lower blood pressure, dampen inflammation, enhance blood vessel function and improve insulin sensitivity.
Nuts contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, plant protein and fibre, as well as blood-pressure-lowering potassium and magnesium. Some nuts are also high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps preserve the lining of blood vessel walls.
As well, many types of nuts are a good source of flavonoids, phytochemicals that help nourish gut bacteria that regulate inflammation.
Recommended nut intake
Healthy dietary patterns typically include one serving of nuts, 28 to 45 g, at least five times a week.
For example, the DASH eating plan advises eating 45 g of nuts (about one-third-cup) five times a week if you consume a 2,000-calorie diet. The plant-based Portfolio diet recommends 45 g of nuts every day.
The MIND diet includes 28 g of nuts at least five days a week. Mediterranean diet guidelines often suggest a daily serving of nuts.
Nut butters count, too. Two tablespoons of nut butter is equivalent to one serving of nuts.
If you’re allergic to tree nuts or peanuts, try adding seeds and seed butters to your diet, which have a similar nutrient profile.
What about the calories in nuts?
It’s true that nuts are calorie-dense due to their high fat content (160 to 195 calories per 28 g depending on the type). There’s no evidence, however, that eating a handful of nuts each day leads to weight gain.
The fat and protein in nuts promote satiety, filling you up longer than, say, a granola bar or handful of crackers can.
And thanks to their hard-to-digest cell walls, we don’t absorb all the fat in nuts. It’s thought the calorie content of nuts may be overestimated by as much as 25 per cent for some types.
Noteworthy nutrients in nuts
Include a variety of unsalted and unsweetened nuts – raw or dry roasted – in your diet to get a wide range nutrients and protective phytochemicals.
Some nuts really shine when it comes to certain nutrients.
In a 28-g serving of almonds (23 nuts) you’ll find 6 g of protein, 3.5 g of fibre, 76 mg of calcium and 76 mg of magnesium. Almonds stand out, though, for heart- and brain-friendly vitamin E; one serving provides 7 mg, nearly half a day’s worth for adults.
Brazil nuts contain an exceptional amount of selenium, a mineral that supports immune and thyroid health. One Brazil nut delivers 95 mcg of selenium, two days’ worth of the mineral.
But don’t eat more than four Brazil nuts a day. The safe upper limit of selenium from foods and supplements combined is 400 mcg.
A 28-g serving of cashews (18 nuts) contributes an impressive 84 mg of magnesium to your diet, along with 10 mcg of bone-strengthening vitamin K.
Notable nutrients in a 28-g serving of peanuts (28 nuts) include 7.3 g of protein, 68 mcg of folate (adults need 400 mcg per day), along with a decent amount of niacin, a B vitamin that’s used to make stress hormones, improve circulation and reduce inflammation.
One serving of pecans (19 halves) supplies a wide range of nutrients. The nut’s claim to fame, though, is its flavonoid content, the highest among all types of nuts.
Pistachios serve up 6 g of protein, 3 g of fibre and nearly 300 mg of potassium per 28-g serving (49 nuts). They’re also a good source of many different antioxidants.
Unlike other nuts, walnuts are the only type to provide an excellent source of alpha linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. You’ll find 2.5 g in one serving (14 halves), which is more than one day’s worth for adults.
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals in walnuts are also thought to improve brain function and slow mental decline associated with aging.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD
