So many people think that eating nuts always might be dangerous. In. this article we will answer very important question, what happens if you eat nuts everyday.
Table of Contents
Before we eat nuts, let’s see what do nuts count?
We present deeply in this article the benefits of nut.
Many people say: nuts is a sort of fruit.
So, we can recognize the nut from its nutshell that makes nutshell very hard and encloses the seed, which we call it nut
- Strictly speaking, only hazelnut and macadamia nuts are common types of nuts . Beech nuts and chestnuts are also real nuts.
- Peanuts are legumes . This can also be seen on the shell: it is not hard and, like other sleeves, can be easily opened at the seams on the stomach and back.
- From a botanical point of view, almonds, pistachios, coconuts and pecans belong to the drupes . With stone fruits only the inner pericarp is lignified.
- Cashews are also not nuts, but the seeds of the cashew which the shell fruit belongs.
- And it gets even better: While the shea nut is botanically a berry , the strawberry is a so-called nut – like closing fruit , also known as a common nut fruit .
- The name says it: flax and chia seeds counting (such as sesame and poppy seeds) to the seeds .
Nuts and seeds also belong to the fruit of the food groups and can occasionally replace one of the two recommended daily servings of fruit.
What do nuts contain?
Even if they are botanically different, the nuts mentioned have by and large comparable ingredients. This is also the reason why we refer to peanuts and cashews as nuts.
Overall, one can say: nuts contain little water, a lot of fat, protein, carbohydrates and fiber. They can also be sources of minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. There are of course differences in the exact composition.
Three key nutrients that nuts and seeds provide:
- Protein : Nuts are good sources of protein. Peanuts contain 25 grams of protein / 100 grams, pumpkin seeds even 35 grams / 100 grams. In addition, these proteins have a relatively high so-called biological value for a plant-based food. This means that the ► body can convert food protein into its own proteins more efficiently than, say, the proteins of most types of grain.
- Omega-3 fatty acids : The unsaturated fatty acids are mainly found in flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts. Flaxseeds contain 20 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) per 100 grams, or 10 grams for the same amount of walnuts.
- Iron : Sesame, pistachio, and pumpkin seeds can be sources of iron. Sesame seeds contain 10 milligrams of iron / 100 grams, so about 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds contains 2 milligrams of iron.
How healthy to eat nuts, and what happens?
The professional associations agree that nuts should be part of a balanced diet. They contain healthy fatty acids and are a good source of vegetable protein. In general, you can say that they are healthy. How healthy exactly is, however, not that easy to answer. Finding out how certain foods affect health is always a complex research task. Because many factors play a role and the question of correlation or causality arises.
With regard to nut consumption, this means: Are people who eat nuts healthier anyway because they exercise a lot or smoke less, or are they healthier because there is a causal relationship, for example because the nuts improve certain blood values? There are already plausible explanations for some health effects, but not all effects have been clearly proven. An important question is, for example, whether nuts can also protect against very specific diseases.
There are many promises of salvation to be found in that regard. They are said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, and are also good for cholesterol, mood, and focus . Sounds too good to be true? That’s why we took a close look at various reviews on the topic:
What happens if you eat nuts to Cardiovascular diseases
The research situation is not entirely clear here. In 2015, a large meta-analysis by the renowned Cochrane network came to the conclusion that the data on whether nuts really have a positive effect on cardiovascular diseases are still very weak. Since then, however, there have been other large studies that describe positive effects on cholesterol levels , blood pressure and heart health in general.
The consumption of nuts and almonds probably lowers the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Nuts are recommended because of their benefits for heart health are greater than the disadvantages due to the high calorie content.
Highly recommended to read our previous article ► Green tea good for weight loss
eat nuts effects on Type 2 diabetes
Overall, nuts seem to have a positive impact. When almonds are part of the meal for people at risk of type 2 diabetes, the typical drop in blood sugar levels after eating is reduced and the feeling of satiety is increased. In addition, the insulin levels and other blood values are better when consuming almonds. Walnuts also occurred with improved insulin metabolism and better vascular function in people with type 2 diabetes. Among other things, people with diabetes who eat pistachios had better sugar metabolism.
some more research about nuts eating.
There is evidence that walnuts can have a positive effect on certain blood values in men at an increased risk of prostate cancer. In addition, nuts could have a positive effect on memory , general information processing and
depression , especially in older people . But more research is needed here to really prove the impact nuts have on cognition, mood and the development of cancer.
Aren’t nuts so healthy after all?
For some diseases, the effects of nuts have not yet been clearly proven. This does not mean that nuts are not healthy, but that one should be careful with specific promises and claims. Anyone who adheres to the consumption recommendations of the professional associations can in any case be sure that the consumption of nuts does not harm and that it contributes to a healthy diet overall.
Article Section: How Might Nuts Work?
How could nuts work?
Even if there is still no evidence for the effects on certain specific diseases and further research is necessary, there are plausible explanations for the health effects of nut consumption:
A positive effect on health must logically have to do with the ingredients in the nuts. Nuts contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These could have an impact on heart health and various inflammatory processes in the body. The so-called phytosterols – these are secondary plant substances – seem to have a beneficial effect on the cholesterol level.
There are several theories as to what mechanism might be behind this. One of them is that the phytosterols in the intestine compete with the cholesterol from animal fat because they only differ chemically by one side chain. That could hinder the absorption of cholesterol. The consumption of walnuts also appears to have a positive effect on the composition and diversity of the microbiome. That means you have more “good” bacteria in your gut. This could also have an impact on various diseases.
Article Section: Who Shouldn’t Eat Nuts?
Who Shouldn’t Eat Nuts?
Of course, people with an allergy to nuts shouldn’t eat them. Those who are allergic to birch pollen often cannot tolerate nuts because the allergenic substances in both are very similar. This effect is also called cross allergy.
Children under three years of age should not eat nuts because there is a high risk of choking and choking. Nut butter can be used for children.
Article Section: How Many Nuts Should You Eat?
How many nuts should you eat?
The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even recommends 40 grams. As a rough rule of thumb, you can memorize a handful of nuts per day. Nuts are high in calories, which makes one wonder: do nuts make you fat? This was suspected for a long time, but now most experts agree: the positive effect on health predominates.
In studies, participants did not gain weight through consuming more nuts. A theory as to why that is so: Nuts keep you full for a long time and so you save calories elsewhere, for example if the cake fails in the afternoon. However, you should be more cautious about salted nuts because too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. In addition, excessive nut consumption can cause digestive problems due to the fiber, and too many Brazil nuts (over 130 grams per day) can even lead to selenium poisoning. Important to know: the selenium content of Brazil nuts can vary greatly depending on the growing area. The same applies to nuts as always: it’s all a question of the dose!
