All your nut questions answered

March is a month filled with celebrations. This year we have Easter, Ramadan, Holi and the Spring Equinox all in one month.

The Spring equinox is the start of Nowrooz or New Year for numerous countries including Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, parts of India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Many countries have nuts and nut products as part of their celebrations. We all know this from Christmas when we have large bowl of nuts and enjoy them every day.

But how much do you know about nuts? Nuts can be controversial – should we eat them, should we not? Well in this month of celebrations we have all your nut questions answered. 

Are nuts good for you? 

Nuts are an excellent source of protein and antioxidants. Most nuts contain unsaturated fats, fibre, and essential minerals, all known to contribute to heart health and lowering of bad cholesterol.

Nuts also fill you up for longer and can therefore regulate your blood sugar levels. 

Are nuts unhealthy? 

Nuts have a bad reputation because they are calorie dense, which means they are high in calories.

However those calories are made of healthy fats. Therefore we recommend that you always have nuts as part of a healthy diet but control the amount that you eat so that you do not consume too many calories. 

Which nuts are the healthiest?

Most nuts are healthy and they each contain their own special health benefits.

For example Brazil nuts are high in selenium which can help you to lower inflammation in your body.

While walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Pistachios boost your vitamin B6 and potassium levels while almonds are high in magnesium and vitamin E.

We recommend that you enjoy a mix of nuts daily to get the benefits from all nuts. 

How many nuts should I eat every day? 

Research shows that a healthy diet combined with eating 30g of nuts per day significantly reduces your risk of heart attacks and heart related diseases.

  This is in general equal to a closed fistful of nuts.  

Which nuts are the unhealthiest? 

Most nuts have health benefits, however macadamia nuts have the highest amount of fat and therefore the most calories.

In addition they have the lowest amount of proteins. 10 to 12 macadamia nuts contain 21g of fat compared to 14g of fat in almonds. 

Are roasted nuts good for you? 

Both raw and roasted nuts contain antioxidants and deliver health benefits.

Both varieties contain the same about of fibre, carbohydrates, protein and calories. However some research shows that the amount of healthy fats in roasted nuts are reduced slightly in the roasting process.

Some roasted nuts also contain salt and this can increase your sodium intake if consumed in large quantities. 

We recommend that you consume more raw nuts and for special occasions and treats mix in some roasted nuts too. 

Are caramelised or coated nuts unhealthy? 

Caramelised or flavoured nuts carry all the benefits of plain nuts, however they are coated with different flavours or sugar.

Eat caramelised nuts in moderation and as a special treat to control the amount of sugar (and calories) you consume. 

Flavoured nuts can be high in salt but you still have the benefits of the nuts. Again consume them in moderation and as a special treat. It’s best to enjoy plain raw nuts as part of your daily diet. 

Why do we have nuts at special occasions? 

Most cultures enjoy nuts as part of their celebrations and at special occasions.

In Christianity, nuts are ancient symbols of good luck and fertility. Nuts have always been considered as special foods, high in value and price.

They are enjoyed in most cultures at special times. These are the times we spend with family and those close to us and it’s a time when we feast and enjoy special foods. 

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