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Nuts are good for you!

Do you shy away from nuts because of their high fat content? New research may change your mind. Although nuts are high in calories and about 80 percent of their calories come from fat, nuts are nutrient dense!

Nuts contain the essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, which are vital for growth, healthy skin and hair, blood pressure control, immune response and blood clotting. In addition, the fats in nuts mostly contain unsaturated fats, especially monounsaturated fat. This type of fat does not raise blood cholesterol levels like saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats (MUFA) have the additional benefit of raising high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol. Nuts also provide one of the best natural sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant, and are rich in protein, dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and folate.

Nuts and heart disease
It's long been known that dietary habits affect heart disease risk factors. Several large nutrition studies have associated frequent nut consumption, especially almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and macadamias, with a decreased risk of heart disease of 30-50 percent. It is thought that nuts can help reduce the build-up of plaque in blood vessels by lowering the "bad" cholesterol levels. The antioxidant qualities of nuts' high vitamin E content might also contribute to the reduction of heart disease.

In addition to cholesterol, nuts may be helpful in controlling high blood pressure. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet recommends 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds and dried beans per week as part of a diet to control hypertension.

Nuts and obesity
If you’re concerned about the extra calories and fat in nuts, you may be interested to know that in several studies, weight gain was not a problem when subjects were fed nuts within the context of a balanced diet. The investigators suspect that the high fat content in nuts was more filling so that people decreased their intake of other foods and that the fiber content inhibited some of the fat absorption. Additionally, it was suggested that the fat in nuts may be metabolized differently, but more research is needed to support that finding.

Going nutty!
Nuts are not only for snacking! They can be used to accent vegetable dishes and salads or added to pastas and casseroles for a crunchy texture. You can get creative and coat pieces of fish or chicken with nuts for added flavor and crunch.

If all of this talk about nuts is tempting your taste buds, there are a few realistic ways to work them into your diet without overloading on calories. The most important thing to remember is that nuts should be consumed in moderation. Here are a few tips on how to incorporate nuts into your diet without feeling guilty about those calories:

• Reduce the portion size by chopping or slicing your nuts.
• Roast nuts at 350° F for 5-10 minutes to bring out the flavor.
• Leave off the cheese from your pasta when using nuts.
• Select reduced portions of lean meats, fish, and poultry when accenting with nuts.
• Choose fat-free dressing for your salad when using nuts.
• Combine nuts with cereals or dried fruits to make a nutritious snack that tastes great.
• Pre-portion nutty snacks rather than eating them from a large bag or a jar.

When including nuts in your diet, make sure to count them as part of the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group. When it comes to serving size, 1/3 cup of nuts is equal to one ounce of meat. The following table lists the nutrient profile for 1/3 cup of popular nuts.

	Calories	Protein (grams)	Total Fat (grams)	MUFA (grams)	Fiber (grams)
almonds	283	10	25	16	5.0
cashews	262	7.0	21	12	1.4
hazelnuts	262	7.0	21	12	1.4
macadamias	321	3.5	34	26	3.6
*peanuts	285	12	24	12	3.9
pecans	249	3.3	26	15	3.5
pistachios	243	9.0	20	10	4.4
walnuts	218	5.0	22	3.0	2.2

*Peanuts are actually legumes, but they have a nutrient profile similar to nuts.

The Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor is created by registered dietitians and dietetic interns who staff the Nutrition Clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital. For information, contact the Nutrition InfoLine at (203) 688-2422.

For more information on the benefits of eating nuts visit these sources:

• Nuthealth, International Nut Council
• Beyond the Almond
• Walnut Marketing Board
• California Pistachio Commission
• Pecans: So Good. So Good for You.
• Vegetarian Society

Last revised: June 6, 2005 (mv)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.