Emily McKee explores why nuts are so good for us and how many we should be adding to our daily diet
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Nuts form part of many healthful dietary patterns including the Mediterranean diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, the Portfolio diet for lower cholesterol and plant-based eating patterns.
Research has shown that regular consumption of nuts reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing levels of triglycerides and LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol while increasing levels of HDL (‘good’) cholesterol. Regularly including nuts in your diet can also improve overall metabolic health, influence markers of inflammation, immunity and oxidative stress in the body, improve blood glucose control and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and some cancers.
The effects of nuts on our health are ‘dose dependant’ up to 60g per day, but there is limited additional benefit of increasing your intake above 30g per day, equivalent to a small handful.
But why are nuts so good for us? The answer lies in their nutritional profile. Nuts contain fibre, protein, a variety of micronutrients, healthy unsaturated fats and many other plant compounds that have known health benefits.
A source of protein
Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, which our bodies can use to build muscle, repair tissues and support our immune system. Nuts are a rich source of protein, particularly peanuts, almonds and pistachios, which contain 15-25g of protein per 100g. Different nuts contain different amino acids, so a handful of mixed nuts can increase both the amount and diversity of protein in your diet.
Healthy fats
Nuts are a high fat food, which has historically been a concern for some people due to promotion of low-fat diets for heart health. However, the fat contained in nuts is unsaturated. Regularly consuming sources of healthy unsaturated fat, while reducing saturated fat intake, is more protective of heart health than following a diet low in total fat.
While people often associate high fat foods with weight gain, eating nuts has actually been linked with maintenance of a healthy body weight. This may be because nuts are eaten in place of other snacks, or because the fat and fibre in nuts regulates feelings of fullness. It is also thought that the calories we absorb from nuts are up to 25 per cent lower than stated on food label
