Edible nuts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and most are exceedingly healthy. Nuts are a good source of nutrients, fiber, protein, and fatty acids. Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts have all been linked to good cardiovascular health. Antioxidants such as vitamin E help to support your immune system in most healthy nuts varieties.
Several individuals believe that eating various sorts of nuts is a great way to stay healthy since they are brimming with nutrition. A list of nuts that are healthful to consume may be found in this article. If you’re on a diet or limiting your carb intake, you’ll also learn about the best kinds of nuts to eat.
The Health Benefits of Eating Nuts
Nuts contain beneficial forms of unsaturated fats, despite the fact that they are all rich in fat. Most nuts contain omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to monounsaturated fats. According to many studies, increased nut consumption is linked to improved health.
Nuts, for example, may help you lose weight, reduce inflammation, and lower your danger of heart disease and diabetes. There is no proof that consuming nuts in moderation leads to weight gain, despite the fact that they are tiny and contain a lot of calories. In reality, adding more nuts to your diet might help you lose weight.
Furthermore, eating popular nuts such as Brazil nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and walnuts may help to lower your risk of certain chronic illnesses. Since they contain high levels of phytic acid, nuts should be soaked in water before consumption. Phytic acid consumption in high amounts may contribute to a variety of health problems, including gastrointestinal discomfort and mineral shortage. In my article about soaking nuts and seeds, you can learn more.
Types of Nuts (With Pictures and Names) – Identification Guide
Let’s look at some of the healthiest nuts available right now. In order to help you eat the best kinds of nuts that are good for you, you’ll also learn about their nutritional benefits.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a common kind of nut that is often sold in their shells, whether shelled or unshelled. Due to the hard shell, eating these varieties of walnuts may be difficult. Buying the shelled variety is probably the simplest way to eat more walnuts. Walnuts contain 9 g of fat, 2 g of carbohydrates, and decent quantities of important minerals. 7 walnut halves (14 g) provide 9g of fat, 2g of carbohydrates, and a healthy balance. Walnuts have less carbs than other nuts, as a percentage of calories.
According to research, eating walnuts may lower your chances of developing heart problems. According to one research, eating more walnuts for six months resulted in lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose control. Walnuts have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which are another reason why they are good for you. Walnut-rich diets have been shown to help preserve brain health and postpone the signs of aging, according to research.
Almonds
Because they are packed with nutrients, almonds are on the list of the healthiest kinds of nuts. These little brown nuts, which contain just 6 grams of carbohydrates, 3.5 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein, are a superb source of magnesium. Depending on how you want to enjoy this variety of nutritious nut, you can also purchase white blanched almonds, almond flakes, and dry-roasted almonds.
Eating more almonds may help to lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, according to some studies. Almond nut ingestion may help you manage your insulin levels and avoid blood glucose surges after meals. Almonds can also help you get more fiber and antioxidants into your diet, according to researchers. Almonds are also a excellent source of energy, which may help you feel fuller for longer if you consume them. As a result, if you want to lose weight, almonds might be a fantastic option.
Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the most common types of nuts on the planet. They’re one of the most beneficial nuts for raising selenium levels. One ounce is the smallest amount of anything. Brazil nuts (about 6 nuts) provide roughly 19 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of carbohydrate, and 4 grams of protein. In reality, selenium, an important antioxidant, can be obtained from just one Brazil nut every day.
One of the benefits of eating a few Brazil nuts every day is that they help you manage your cholesterol levels. According to one study, eating four or five large Brazil nuts over a six-hour period can lower “bad” cholesterol. Most healthy nuts, including Brazil nuts, may help reduce chronic inflammation.
Cashew Nuts
Cashews are a kind of white nut that grows on trees and contains cashew fruit and nuts. Cashew nuts are a excellent source of nutrients, just like other popular nuts. Protein, vitamin K, and important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, and potassium are all excellent qualities to consume cashew nuts.
Cashews contain 9.2 g of carbs in each 1-oz., which is higher than other edible nuts. Cashews have a distinctive shape from the other nuts on this list. They’re c-shaped and typically white in color. In addition, compared to other tree nuts, they are quite delicate and meaty.
Beta-carotene is a compound found in cashew nuts, which may help to improve your health. Vitamin A is produced by your body from beta-carotene, which helps you see clearly. Several individuals with metabolic syndrome benefited more from eating cashews than walnuts, according to a research.
People with type 2 diabetes may benefit from the consumption of cashews nuts, which may help reduce their blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are a tiny spherical nut with a crunchy feel when you bite into them. They’re either shelled or unshelled. Hazelnuts have a greater caloric content than many other nuts, which demonstrates their nutritional value. The fact that 10 hazelnuts have 8.5 grams of fat may be the reason for this. The fat in hazelnuts, however, is mostly the healthy unsaturated type, making them one of the most nutritious nuts. Hazelnuts are a good source of vitamin E, like most other healthy nuts.
Hazelnuts are one of the most nutritious nuts, according to scientific study. According to one research, eating a lot of hazelnuts might help lower LDL and inflammation by improving cholesterol metabolism. For four weeks, participants consumed 20% of their daily energy needs from hazelnuts. Hazelnut consumption has been shown to have a favorable influence on the incidence of coronary heart disease, according to another research.
A low-fat diet alone isn’t as effective at lowering cholesterol as eating 40 grams of hazelnuts. It’s also a good idea to increase your diet intake of polyphenols and antioxidants by eating a handful of these delicious little round tree nuts.
Pecans
Pecans are a brown nut with a shell that comes in several types. One of the most well-known hickory nuts is the hardy pecan tree’s nut. The best nuts to use in desserts and pastries are pecan nuts, although it is preferable to consume them raw for all of their health benefits. Pecans are wonderful, nutritious nuts that are also very delicious. Pecans are loaded with polyphenols, despite having one of the highest fat contents of any nut type. Pecans, walnuts, and chestnuts, for example, have the highest levels of antioxidants among all tree nuts, according to one study.
The finest kind of nut for the keto diet is pecans, since they are very low in carbs. A 1-oz. (28 g) serving of these brown nuts contains about 200 calories. Pecans, on the other hand, have a lot of calories and fat, but they provide a slew of health benefits when consumed. Raising your cholesterol by eating this oval brown nut, for example. Pecan nut consumption was shown to raise “good” cholesterol while lowering “bad” cholesterol, according to one research.
Macadamia Nuts
When it comes to selecting the finest nut, macadamia nuts are virtually always at the top of the list. Little white nuts with brown shells, macadamia nuts are relatively high in calories. Macadamia nuts, on the other hand, don’t offer as great a nutritional value when compared to other types of edible nuts. Just ten of these little nuts, for example, have 21 grams of fat and over 200 calories. Manganese and traces of magnesium are the only minerals found in white macadamia nuts.
Macadamia nuts have certain heart-protective properties despite the fact that they are not the most nutritious nut. Unsaturated fat makes up the majority of macadamia nuts’ fat content. According to one research, eating macadamia nuts and a low-fat diet may help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Others have claimed that eating these tasty white nuts frequently is beneficial to cardiovascular health. According to one research, eating 40 to 90 grams of macadamia nuts each day lowers the risk of heart disease.
Pistachio Nuts
Pistachios are a green sort of nut that is offered in the shell and may be purchased as such. Pistachios are relatively low in carbohydrates and protein, compared to other brown and white nuts. In comparison to other nuts, pistachio nuts have a lot of fiber and have little fat. Vitamin B6 and protein are additionally present in pistachio nuts.
Pistachios are excellent nuts to consume if you want to keep your heart healthy, as with most kinds of healthy nuts. Several research have shown that eating these green nuts may reduce a number of the hazards associated with cardiovascular illness.
In reality, eating pistachios instead of high-carbohydrate foods may help reduce triglyceride levels. To avoid heart disease, triglycerides need to be kept under control in your blood. Eating pistachio nuts before and during exercise can help boost performance because they are a healthy energy source.
Pine Nuts
Little nuts on the list of healthy edible nuts: pine nuts Pine nuts are one of the tiniest kinds. They aren’t deficient in nutritional value, however. Pine nuts are elongated white nuts that come in a variety of flavors. A one-ounce bottle Vitamin E, K, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper are all present in large quantities in pine nuts. The manganese content of this nut is what makes it such a powerhouse for health – one serving provides more than your daily requirement.
The phenolic content in small pine nuts is the major source of their health benefits. Brazil nuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts are all similar in antioxidants.
Chestnuts
Chestnuts are one of the smallest nuts and are also one of the least fat and caloric nut types you may consume. You peel chestnuts to reveal soft white flesh, which is a dark brown type of nut. Chestnuts are low in calories and rich in fiber, which is one of the reasons why they are beneficial for your health.
Before eating, chestnuts are frequently roasted. They’re enormous, spherical nuts that are brimming with nutrients. Vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and vitamin B6 are all present in large quantities in 10 roasted chestnuts. Manganese, copper, potassium, and magnesium are all present in chestnuts.
Compared to all the other types of nuts that are good to eat, chestnuts contain a lot of carbohydrates. There are 44 grams of carbs in 10 roasted chestnuts.
Because chestnuts don’t contain significant amounts of healthy fats, they aren’t usually included on a list of healthy tree nuts.
Peanuts
Peanuts are a legume similar to peas and beans, not a true kind of nut botanically. Most people, however, consider peanuts to be a common nut that is good for you in the culinary world. Peanuts are a legume, but many people regard them as the most delectable nut. Raw peanuts, salted peanuts, dry-roasted peanuts, or peanut butter are just a few of the options available for eating this kind of ordinary legume.
Try to avoid salted or roasted peanuts when choosing for snacks. Any of the health benefits of these tiny brown nut-like legumes may be canceled out by their sodium or vegetable fat content. Unlike walnuts, Brazil nuts, or almonds, peanuts don’t grow on trees.
They produce a shell that contains between 2 and 4 little brown peanuts, which they grow in the earth. The following quantities are equivalent to one ounce. Peanuts provide 2.4 grams of fiber, 4.5 grams of carbohydrates, and 13.8 grams of fat, with the majority being unsaturated healthy fats. Peanut butter is a rich source of nutrients and is therefore great for your health.
Peanut consumption has been linked to a favorable cardiovascular outcomes, according to research. Peanut consumption has been linked to lower rates of cardiovascular heart disease and magnesium deficits.