More Than Our Story

Health Nuts

An assortment of nuts.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Nuts are a great, highly-nutritious and versatile snack food, they just as easily compliment a salad as a dessert. They pack heart-healthy fats, plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, into an easy, on-the-go snack with major disease-fighting benefits. Nuts can reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your cholesterol, help support your immune system, help maintain a healthy body weight, boost your brain health and more. Keep reading for more information on how to become a health nut:

Benefits of Eating Nuts

Nuts are full of health beneficial compounds, below are some of the related health benefits:

Heart Healthy

Nuts are heart-healthy, including nuts in your diet can reduce your risk of heart related disease and inflammation. Some of the heart healthy benefits include:

  • Improved artery health
  • Reduced heart disease-related inflammation
  • Reduced risk of blood clots
  • Reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.
  • Reduced blood pressure
  • Reduced risk of early death due to heart disease
  • Lower ‘bad’ cholesterol levels and triglycerides, which can clog arteries

HEART HEALTH
It's best to choose unsalted or unsweetened nuts. Avoid added salt, sugar or oil that may cancel out their heart-healthy benefits.

Decreased Cancer Risk

Eating nuts may protective against certain cancers, including colon, gastric, pancreatic, and lung cancers.

Decreased Diabetes Risk and Diabetes Management

Nuts may are beneficial for diabetics; assisting with managing the associated risks, including:

  • Fasting Blood Sugar Levels: Nuts may help stabilize your blood sugar levels after waking.
  • Glycemic Control: Nuts may improve management of your targeted blood sugar levels.
  • Insulin Sensitivity: Eating nuts may also improve how well cells respond to available insulin.

Good Source of Protein

Nuts are a good source of plant-based protein.

Weight Management

Nuts can help with weight loss. All nuts contain protein and fiber making you feel full, so you eat less. One drawback is that most nuts are high in calories, so portion control is important.

PORTION CONTROL
Just remember to mind your portions, as nuts are a calorie-dense food. A serving of nuts is about 1 ounce - or about a small handful.

The Healthiest Nuts

While nuts are about equal in calories per ounce, different nuts provide differing health benefits so it’s important to eat a good variety, so let’s dive into the health benefits provided from various types of nuts:

Almonds

Almonds are cheap, flavorful, and packed with health benefits. They are also relatively low in calories, high in fiber, and are an incredibly versatile nut. You can eat them raw, roasted, and they are often turned into butter, flour, and milk.

Health Benefits:

  • Heart Healthy: High in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides
  • Skin Health: Promotes collagen production for healthy skin
  • Diabetic-Friendly: Help with management of diabetes.
  • Rich in Vitamin E: Helps support your immune system. (45% of the DV)
  • Rich in Manganese: Helps support healthy bones, cartilage and immune system. (27% of the DV)
  • Rich in Magnesium: beneficial to bone, brain and heart health. (19% of the DV)
  • Gut Healthy: Promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are a rich source of many nutrients, especially the mineral selenium.

Health Benefits

  • Rich in Selenium: Beneficial for reproductive processes, thyroid gland function and DNA production. (989% of the DV)
  • Rich in Magnesium: beneficial to bone, brain and heart health (25% of the DV)
  • Rich in Copper: Great plant source of this essential mineral that supports energy creation and the nervous and immune systems.
  • Rich in Vitamin E: Vitamin E is important to vision, reproduction, and the health of your blood, brain and skin. (11% of the DV)

Cashews

Loved for their flavor and texture, cashews works well with any dish savory or sweet. You can eat them raw, roasted, and they’re often turned into butter, flour, and milk.

Health Benefits

  • Heart Healthy: High in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Skin Health: Promotes collagen production for healthy skin.
  • Rich in Copper: Great plant source of this essential mineral that supports energy creation and the nervous and immune systems.
  • Rich in Manganese: Helps support healthy bones, cartilage and immune system.  (20% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin K: Beneficial to bone and heart health and linked to possible reduced risk of several chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer and heart disease. (8% of the DV)
  • Rich in Magnesium: Beneficial to bone, brain and heart health. (20% of the DV)
  • Good Source of Iron: Helps deliver oxygen to your cells and prevents anemia. 
  • Good Source of Zinc: Critical to immune health and healthy vision.

Hazelnuts

These nuts are packed full of vitamins, minerals, nutrients and beneficial plant compounds.

Health Benefits

  • Heart Healthy: High in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Rich in Manganese: Helps support healthy bones, cartilage and immune system. (76% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin E: Helps support your immune system. (28% of the DV)
  • Rich in Magnesium: beneficial to bone, brain and heart health. (11% of the DV)
  • Rich in Copper: Great plant source of this essential mineral that supports energy creation and the nervous and immune systems.
  • Skin Health: Promotes collagen production for healthy skin.

Peanuts

Technically a member of the legume family, peanuts are similar to tree nuts in nutrient, health benefits and cooking uses. They are a rich source of plant-based protein and full of brain-healthy fats. 

Health Benefits

  • Heart Healthy: High in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Rich in Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Niacin aids in converting food into energy and repairing DNA. (23% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin B9 (Folate): An essential mineral in DNA synthesis, good for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. (17% of the DV)
  • Rich in Magnesium: beneficial to bone, brain and heart health. (12% of the DV)

Pecans

Pecans are great in baked goods and in salads. Like the other nuts on this list they also have numerous health benefits: 

Health Benefits

  • Heart Healthy: High in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Rich in Manganese: Helps support healthy bones, cartilage and immune system. (48% of the DV)
  • Rich in Zinc: Crucial in immune function, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and growth and development. (13% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin B1: Helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and protein into energy, and beneficial to the nervous system and good brain function. (11% of the DV)
  • Rich in Copper: Great plant source of this essential mineral that supports energy creation and the nervous and immune systems.
  • Antioxidant Rich: Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories (one of the most antioxidant-rich nuts).

Pistachios

These delicious nuts are packed with nutrients but lower in calories and fat than many others. They are also rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds and who doesn’t enjoy taking them out of their shells?

Health Benefits

  • Weight Management: Pistachios may help you manage a healthy weight, being lower in calories and fat than many other nuts.
  • Immune System Support: Help with nutrient metabolism, immune function, and gut health.
  • Skin Health: Promotes collagen production for healthy skin.
  • Diabetic-Friendly: Help with management of diabetes.
  • Rich in Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Important for brain development, nervous system and immune system health. (28% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and protein into energy, and beneficial to the nervous system and good brain function. (21% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin K: Beneficial to bone health and linked to possible reduced risk of several chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer and heart disease.
  • Rich in Phosphorus: A key element in bones, teeth, and cell membranes. (11% of the DV)

Macadamia Nuts

The macadamia nuts are lower in carbs than most nuts while among the most calorie-dense and highest amount of monounsaturated fat per serving, making this nut a must when creating your next nut mix.

Health Benefits

  • Heart Healthy: High in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Rich in Manganese: Helps support healthy bones, cartilage and immune system. (51% of the DV)
  • Rich in Vitamin B1: Helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and protein into energy, and beneficial to the nervous system and good brain function. (28% of the DV)
  • Rich in Copper: Great plant source of this essential mineral that supports energy creation and the nervous and immune systems. (24% of the DV)

Walnuts

Walnuts are nutritious and also linked to multiple health benefits, particularly heart health. They are especially great in baked goods.

Health Benefits

  • Heart Healthy: Significantly higher in omega-3 fatty acids than any other nut and may reducing blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Skin Health: Promotes collagen production for healthy skin.
  • Diabetic-Friendly: Help with management of diabetes.
  • Antioxidant Rich: Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories (the most antioxidant-rich nut).
  • Rich in Copper: Great plant source of this essential mineral that supports energy creation and the nervous and immune systems. (50% of the DV)
  • Rich in Manganese: Helps support healthy bones, cartilage and immune system. (42% of the DV)
  • Rich in Magnesium: beneficial to bone, brain and heart health. (11% of the DV)

Tips for Eating Nuts

While nuts are good for your health, you should pay attention to how you eat them to get the most health benefits.

  • Mix It Up: Eating multiple types of nuts can ensure you’re getting the most health benefits, trail mix is a great option.
  • Focus on Portion Control: Nuts can be high in fats and calories. Try to limit your in take to no more than about a single serving, that’s about an ounce, or a handful. When buying bulk, trying portioning out in advance.
  • Pair With Carbs: Try avoiding eating nuts by themselves. You pair them with carbohydrates to add more bulk to and feel more satisfied for longer. Trail mix is again a great option with the dried fruits often added in.
  • Watch For Additives: Nuts and nut butters can be nutritious, just pay attention to added ingredients like salt, sugar and oils. Look for unsalted or lightly salted nuts, and nuts butters without additional oils
  • Nut Oils: Nut oils also also contain some of the health benefits, but they lack the fiber found in whole nuts. They are also high in fat and calories. Try using nut oils sparingly and raw in salad dressing – I like using walnut oil for its taste and high content of omega-3s.

Recap

Nuts are a great source of plant-based protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They provide a whole host of health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, support for your immune health, help maintaining a healthy weight, and may even help managing type 1 and 2 diabetes. On top of all that – nuts are incredibly tasty, and easy to bring on for snacking on the go. Make sure to start including nuts in your diet today and become a health nut.

SOURCES

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Daniel

Daniel is an extremely curious person, a wealth of random knowledge and facts. Extremely passionate about a vast array of interests ranging from health to history, science to athletics, everything culinary and the list goes on. Trust us, you would want to be on his team for Trivial Pursuit. Daniel is also years into his battle with brain cancer. He experienced a seizure while on a Zoom call at work in late 2020 and quite literally, his life changed within minutes. After his operation he started to talk about his story but had always known it was more than just him. From then, More Than Our Story became a PROJECT that has evolved into the starting point it is today.

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