Today is National Nut Day and it’s no secret that I’m a huge nut fan. Whoever made the quote good things come in small packages could have totally been referring to nuts – a 30g handful is packed full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats plus they are amazingly tasty!
Sure nuts are high in fat, but you need not worry gaining weight, in fact some studies have found eating nuts can help assist weight loss. This is partly because they are a high satiety snack – meaning they help keep you feeling fuller for longer. We actually don’t absorb all the calories in nuts either. A study showed that up to 20% of the calories that are listed on the nutritional information panel in almonds are not utilised by the body.
Nuts are also a great source of nutrients that fall short in a modern western diet, such as vitamin E, magnesium and selenium which is high in Brazil nuts.
Best sources of nutrients in different nut varieties
Nuts are the ultimate fast food – if I’m out and about for the day I’ll chuck a container of nuts in my handbag to keep me going throughout the day. I also take nuts to work – I’ve got a mini container I put a handful in each day. I try not to have a big bag in my desk as some days I just much away on much more than a 30g serving as they’re so yummy.
Embrace a little nuttiness and add some nuts to your daily diet. I’ve got lots of recipes on the blog which feature nuts, and shortly I’ll be posting a decadent cheesecake made with cashew nuts – it’s sitting in the fridge right now setting!
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