Nuts are a popular snack duri ng the holiday season, whether fresh in the shell or in a salted or unsalted mixture. They are often part of Christmas baking or added as a garnish to salads or entrées.
Nuts add taste and texture to food, but did you also know they are a healthy addition to our diets?
Try these questions to test your knowledge. Some have more than one correct answer.
1. What substances in nuts may explain their health benefits?
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(a) unsaturated fats (b) potassium (c) arginine (d) fibre
2. Which nuts are highest in fat and calories?
(a) almonds
(b) macadamia nuts (c) walnuts (d) chestnuts
3. True or false? Nut eaters tend to weigh more.
4. True or false? Nuts are high in sodium.
5. Which nuts are the best source of omega-3 fats?
(a) pecans (b) cashews (c) hazelnuts (d) walnuts
6. True or false? Nut butters have the same nutritional advantage as nuts.
7. True or false? Almond and peanut skins are good for you.
8. How many brazil nuts does it take to meet the daily recommended intake for selenium?
(a) 1 (b) 5 (c) 10 (d) 25
9. True or false? Almonds help you meet your calcium needs.
10. To get the health benefits of nuts, how much do you need to eat?
(a) ½ ounce a day (b) 1 to 3 ounces a day (c) 2 ounces a week
(d) about a handful or two a day
ANSWERS:
1. All are correct. At least three-quarters of the calories in nuts come from fat, mostly monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat that improves blood cholesterol levels. They also contain potassium, copper, magnesium, soluble fibre, arginine, which is an amino acid that helps relax blood vessels, sterols, which also help lower cholesterol, and phytochemicals, which have antioxidant effects.
2. (b) Macadamia nuts have 205 calories per ounce and 21 grams of fat (17 grams unsaturated).
Chestnuts have the least — 70 calories and one gram of fat.
Other nuts range in calories from 160 to 200 and have 14 to 19 grams of fat. Dry roasted nuts have as many calories as oil-roasted.
3. False. Studies show that people who eat nuts regularly tend to weigh less than those who don’t, or at least they don’t weigh more.
The protein, fat and fibre in nuts help make you feel full longer, so you are less hungry, and presumably eat less.
Some studies also suggest that nuts may slightly increase calorie burning, while other research has found that some of the fat in nuts may not be absorbed by the body.
4. False. Nuts naturally contain little or no sodium, but salt is usually added in processing so that an ounce of nuts can contain 200 milligrams of sodium or more. Unsalted varieties are widely available.
5. (d) Walnuts are richest in heart healthy alpha-linolenic acid, an omega 3 fatty acid related to those found in fish.
6. True, but some commercial nut butters contain trans fat because of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil added to keep the nut oil from separating. Even though the amount of trans fat is tiny, no amount is healthy. Many nut butters also have added sugar and salt. Check the ingredient list label on the container.
7. True. Though you’re not likely to get much, the skin contains antioxidant compounds and fibre. Almond skins, for example, are rich in flavonoids, including catechins. Research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Almond Board of California found that these compounds in the nut skin interact with vitamin E in the nuts to protect LDL (bad) cholesterol against oxidation. Oxidized LDL is more damaging to arteries.
8. (a). Brazil nuts are the single best dietary source of selenium. Just one nut provides more than the daily requirement, which is 50 micrograms. Don’t eat too many, however, because a safe upper limit for selenium is only 400 micrograms a day for adults. Doses of more than 1,000 micrograms a day can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss and other problems.
9. True. Almonds contain the most calcium of all nuts, 74 milligrams per ounce, which is nearly eight percent of the daily recommended amount.
10. (b) and (d) Studies have generally found benefits in people eating one to three ounces of nuts a day. For example, people who ate about two ounces of nuts a day had a seven percent decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol.
A handful of nuts is about an ounce.
Source: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, July 2010.
A pile of health benefits
•Studies have consistently linked all kinds of nuts to a reduced risk of heart disease, largely because nuts have a favourable effect on blood cholesterol.
•Nuts may also help keep blood vessels healthy and have other cardiovascular benefits.
•Several years ago, a major study found that women who ate nuts (an ounce at least five times a week) had a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. It’s a myth that nuts increase the risk of complications of diverticulosis, which are small pouches in the intestinal wall that can become infected.
•When entertaining holiday guests, make sure that no one has nut allergies before adding them to a dish.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
