Health Benefits of Nuts

Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet may be good for the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutrients. They are a great snack, inexpensive, easy to store and easy to pack when you’re on the go. One drawback to nuts is that some may be high in calories, so it’s important to limit your portions. But, choosing nuts, instead of a less healthy snack, may just help you stick to a healthy diet.

Here are some of the most commonly consumed nuts:

• Almonds
• Brazil nuts
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Pecans
• Pine nuts
• Pistachios
• Walnuts

Nuts are highly nutritious.

One 28 grams (one ounce) of mixed nuts contains:

• Calories: 173
• Protein: 5 grams
• Fat: 16 grams, including 9 grams of monounsaturated fat
• Carbs: 6 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Vitamin E: 12% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 16% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 13% of the RDI
• Copper: 23% of the RDI
• Manganese: 26% of the RDI
• Selenium: 56% of the RDI

Nuts may Aid Weight Loss

Because they are high in fat and calories, many people assume that adding nuts to their diet will lead to weight gain. However, scientific studies have found that eating nuts regularly:

• Does not promote weight gain, regardless of whether people follow a strict diet or eat as they please. In some cases, they protect against weight gain.
• Regularly eating nuts as part of a weight loss diet can boost weight loss and improve cholesterol.
• Adding nuts to the diet has been linked to reduced hunger and cravings, and feeling full for longer.

Health guidelines recommend eating a 28 grams (one ounce) portion of nuts on most days of the week. That’s about as much as what fits in the palm of your hand.

Other benefits of nuts

• Nuts are high in fat, low in carbs, and a great source of several nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium. It’s not entirely clear why, but it’s thought that the “good” fats in nuts – both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – lower bad cholesterol levels, according to the Mayo clinic.
• Nuts contain antioxidants known as polyphenols, which may protect your cells and “bad” LDL cholesterol from damage caused by free radicals.
• Nuts may help lower total and “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while boosting levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
• Several studies have shown that blood sugar, blood pressure, and other health markers improve when people with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome include nuts in their diet.
• Research suggests that nuts may reduce inflammation, especially in people with diabetes, kidney disease, and other serious health conditions.
• Nuts may significantly lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating nuts increases “bad” LDL particle size, raises “good” HDL cholesterol, improves artery function, and has various other benefits.
• Nuts can be enjoyed whole, as nut butters, or chopped up on food. They’re healthiest raw or toasted. Store them at room temperature or put them in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresher for longer.
• Many nuts are high in fiber, which can reduce disease risk, help keep you full, decrease calorie absorption, and improve gut health. One study suggests that increasing fiber intake from 18 to 36 grams daily may result in up to 130 fewer calories absorbed.

Here are the nuts with the highest fiber content per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving:

• Almonds: 3.5 grams
• Pistachios: 2.9 grams
• Hazelnuts: 2.9 grams
• Pecans: 2.9 grams
• Peanuts: 2.6 grams
• Macadamias: 2.4 grams
• Brazil nuts: 2.1 grams

As long as you eat them in moderation, nuts make for a tasty addition to a healthy, balanced diet.

Source: healthline; mayo clinic

• Both are 21 day meal plans. 
• Both were created by our dietician Anel Kirsten, for healthy eating and weight loss. 
• The Mediterranean diet was the first e-book and contained 33 recipes and the Mediterranean Easy Diet was the follow-up with 17 recipes. 
• The easy diet has fewer recipes because it is for people who don’t always have a lot of time to make lunches and on the menu there is an option to eat the leftovers from the previous night’s dinner, or a snack platter option.  
• The ideal is to purchase both books, because then you have a greater variety of menus, but it is not a must to have both. 

For recipes, daily meal plans (including Mediterranean diet; Keto/Banting, and Low GI eating plans), plus full exercise programs, download the LK Fitness App.