Nuts are a great snack to keep on hand since they are crunchy, satisfying, and healthful. Fibre, healthy fats, and plant protein are all abundant in them. Furthermore, they’re delicious on their own, with fruit, or in salads, desserts, and cereals.
Furthermore, evidence shows that consuming more nuts might help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of some health problems, such as heart disease. Nuts are also a great snack for children. According to research, including nuts in your child’s diet can help them consume more protein, healthy fats, and fibre. Nuts come in a wide range of textures, flavours, and nutritional profiles.
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Here are nutritious nuts to add to your diet:
1. Almonds
Almonds are extremely popular due to their delicious flavour, high nutritional profile, and low price. They may be eaten raw or roasted, and almond butter, flour, and milk are frequently prepared from them. Vitamin E, a fat-soluble mineral that acts as an antioxidant to protect your cells from oxidative damage, is particularly abundant in these nuts. This vitamin also aids cellular communication and immunological function. Almonds are high in healthy fats, protein, fibre, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, and they may also help to lower heart disease risk factors including high LDL (bad) cholesterol and belly fat.
2. Pistachios
Pistachios have been consumed since 6,000 B.C., and their name comes from the Greek word pistákion, which means “green nut.” These colourful nuts are high in nutrients yet low in calories and fat compared to other nuts. They include a variety of nutrients, including vitamin B6, which your body need for nutrition metabolism and immunological function. These nuts are also high in plant chemicals such as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as anthocyanins, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins, all of which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.
3. Walnuts
Copper is a mineral that your body requires to manufacture enzymes involved in energy production and neurotransmitter synthesis, and these nuts are a good source of it. Walnuts are high in copper and have been found to improve heart health by lowering blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
4. Cashews
Cashews have a crunchy texture and a creamy mouthfeel that complements savoury and sweet recipes alike. They can be eaten raw, roasted, or ground into nut butter. Protein, vitamin K, magnesium, and manganese are all important for bone health, and these nuts are a rich source of them. Several studies have looked at whether cashew-rich diets help metabolic syndrome symptoms, which include high blood pressure, high blood fat levels, high blood sugar, and belly fat, all of which raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
5. Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant components including gallic acid, epicatechin, caffeic acid, and quercetin, in addition to being an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. As a result, these nuts may help you enhance the quality of your diet while also increasing your antioxidant consumption. Furthermore, according to one study, eating hazelnuts on a daily basis may help lower heart disease risk factors such as high LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol.
6. Peanuts
While peanuts are technically legumes, they have a nutritional profile that is similar to that of tree nuts, as well as similar health advantages and culinary purposes. Peanuts are high in folate, a B vitamin that is especially important during pregnancy because of its involvement in foetal and placental development. They are also strong in plant protein, which can help you feel full.
