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Nuts are still high in calories and high in
fat, which can cause you to put on weight
if you eat them in excess. Moderation is
everything – have a small serving as part
of a healthy, balanced diet and you have
nothing to fear.
Heart helping hand
Research shows that eating a handful of
nuts every day (around 30g) can reduce
the risk of heart disease as nuts have a
number of features that make themheart-
friendly. There is also evidence to support
eating 67g of nuts per day as a means of
improving cholesterol.
Raw and salted
Like anything, preparation is key in
maximising the nutritional benefit – even
vegetables can be unhealthy when deep-
fried! Salted nuts are, as youwould expect,
likely to be high in sodium, and thus,
not good to your heart. Roasted nuts are
often prepared in oil, which means they
are going to be higher in fat. Raw nuts are
a good option for avoiding excessive oil
and salt, but be aware the raw nuts that
haven’t been soaked or dried may contain
harmful bacteria. Chestnuts are the only
nut that can’t be eaten raw – you can
buy them and roast them yourself! Read
the labels carefully and make the right
choice – raw, soaked nuts are your best
bet for a guilt-free snack.
When it comes to healthy eating, are nuts good or bad?What’s all this talk of good and
bad fats? Read on to find out the truth behind the myths and make nuts a part of your
healthy diet.
things like olive oil, avocados and nuts are
low in saturated fat, with more ‘good’ fats
that your body prefers.
Nutrient rich
Nuts are a good source of protein and
often recommended eating for those on a
vegetarian diet. They are also high in fibre,
which is good for the digestive system, and
ladenwith different vitamins andminerals
depending on which nuts you eat.
Not all nuts are equal
Despite the label ‘nuts’, not all nuts are
created equal and each typewill have vary-
ing amounts of fat, minerals and vitamins.
Read up on nuts and find the one that
works best for your needs. For example,
pecans are high in fibre and antioxidants,
while almonds come packed with protein,
calcium and vitamin E. Hazelnuts will
provide a good dose of potassium, while
chestnuts are the only low-fat nut and are
low-GI too, closer to a grain than a nut
when it comes to nutrition.
Moderation is key
Regardless of the benefits of nuts, eating
excessive amounts is not a good idea.
Health
Nuts About Nuts
W o r d s :
S a r a h R e e s
H
ealthy
eating and diet-
ing seem to have taken
over theworld, which is
great for the population
but it gives rise to some
confusion over what
‘healthy’ really means.
Newspapers andmagazines are filledwith
experts propounding the benefits and ills
of different foods, often contradicting
one another, and thus it becomes almost
impossible to work out what is supposed
to be eaten at all!
One of the foods that has been labelled
both an enemy and a hero is nuts – a wide
and varied group of edibles that have good
and bad qualities and can be great for
your health and wellbeing, provided you
understand some key facts.
Good and bad fats
Nuts are high in fat – fact – but before you
panic and bin the cashews, listen to some
key details about fats. We all need fats,
and it is better to eat good fats (monoun-
saturated and polyunsaturated) and avoid
the bad, saturated fats that are not good
for our bodies. Junk food, processed foods
and meat are all high in saturated fat, but
Howmuch should I eat?
A handful of nuts is the
recommended daily intake,
but hand sizes vary! This is
what the expertsmean by a
handful:
*
20 almonds
*
15 cashews
*
20 hazelnuts
*
15macadamias
*
15 pecans
*
30 pistachio kernels
*
9walnuts