What are nuts? They are a category of dry fruits with a hard pericarp containing a single seed. There are many varieties, and common nuts we eat like peanuts and walnuts belong to this category. During the Spring Festival, these nut foods are the main stars of New Year's goods. So, how should we correctly understand and select these nuts?
Nutritional Value of Nuts
Nuts and seeds contain various nutrients such as niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, copper, potassium, and multiple antioxidants. Vegetarians often eating nuts can help them absorb deficient nutrients to achieve a balanced diet.
Although nuts are high in calories, they are good for heart and brain health. Nuts and seeds can also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, and people who often eat nuts are less likely to suffer from myocardial infarction. In addition, the lignans they contain can lower cholesterol; the boron element can make people more responsive. Eating nuts regularly can provide benefits for strengthening teeth, nourishing the body, and maintaining health.
NO1 Peanuts
Nutritional Value: Peanuts contain vitamin E and a certain amount of zinc, which can enhance memory, resist aging, delay brain function decline, and moisturize the skin. The unsaturated fatty acids in peanuts can lower cholesterol, helping to prevent and treat arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.
Dietary Taboos: Peanuts purchased during the Spring Festival are usually roasted and packaged. People with internal heat and inflammation should not eat them because peanuts are dry in nature and can worsen conditions like stomatitis, glossitis, herpes labialis, and nosebleeds.
Correct Selection: The color should be evenly distributed, the grains full and complete in shape, uniform in size, plump and shiny, without impurities. Smelling it, good-quality peanuts have a unique peanut aroma.
NO2 Almonds
Nutritional Value: Almonds are rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin P, and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. The carotene content is second only to mangoes among fruits, and large flat almonds are known as the "anti-cancer fruit".
Dietary Taboos: Pregnant women should avoid bitter almonds. However, they can eat sweet almonds in moderation, with each portion not exceeding 9 grams.
Correct Selection: Choose almonds that are large, uniform, plump, and shiny. They are mostly heart-shaped or flat-round. The skin is light yellow with a reddish tinge, fresh and bright in color. The skin texture is clear but not deep, and the kernel meat is white and clean. Almonds should be dry. When squeezed tightly, the kernel tip should feel prickly, and it should make a crisp sound when bitten with teeth. Kernels with small holes are worm-eaten, and those with white mildew spots cannot be eaten.
NO3 Pistachios
Nutritional Value: First, they can protect the heart. Pistachios are rich in arginine, which can not only help relieve arteriosclerosis and lower blood lipids, but also reduce the risk of heart attacks, lower cholesterol, and alleviate acute mental stress responses. Second, they can protect vision. The purple-red skin of pistachios contains anthocyanin, a natural antioxidant, while the emerald green kernels are rich in lutein, which not only has antioxidant effects but is also very beneficial for protecting the retina.
Dietary Taboos: Pistachios are high in calories and contain a lot of fat. People who are afraid of gaining weight or have high blood lipids should eat them in moderation.
Correct Selection: Naturally opened pistachios have an even and neat opening; when you try to close it by hand, there is a large crack. Machine-opened pistachios can be completely closed or have only a small, uneven gap when you try to close them. Naturally opened pistachios are more expensive and better than artificially opened ones because the naturally opened nuts are very full, unlike artificially opened ones which have large shells and little meat, so although the price is a bit higher, there is more meat.
NO4 Walnuts
Nutritional Value: Walnut kernels are rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams contains 15-20 grams of protein, 60-70 grams of fat, and 10 grams of carbohydrates. They also contain various trace elements and minerals essential for the human body, such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, as well as multiple vitamins like carotene and riboflavin. The main component of the fat in walnuts is linoleic acid glyceride. After consumption, it not only does not raise cholesterol but can also reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Therefore, it can be used as a nourishing food for patients with hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
Dietary Taboos: People with yin deficiency and excessive fire, loose stools, or nosebleeds should eat walnuts in moderation or avoid them.
Correct Selection: Walnuts should be large, round, and intact, with thin, clean shells, a high kernel yield, and be dry. The kernel slices should be large, white, and high in oil. The selection method should be based on observing the kernels. Plump kernels are the best, while shriveled ones are inferior. The color of the kernel skin is best when it's yellowish-white, followed by dark yellow, then brownish-yellow. Tiger-pattern walnuts with dark brown streaks are also of poor quality.
NO5 Sunflower Seeds
Nutritional Value: The rich potassium content in sunflower kernels is very beneficial for protecting heart function and preventing hypertension. Sunflower kernels are rich in vitamin E, which has anti-aging effects, boosts immunity, and prevents cardiovascular diseases. The plant sterols and phospholipids in sunflower kernels can help inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the human body, prevent excessive plasma cholesterol, and prevent arteriosclerosis to a certain extent.
Dietary Taboos: Roasted sunflower kernels are warm and dry in nature. Eating too many can easily cause "heatiness" symptoms such as dry mouth, mouth sores, and toothache.
Correct Selection: The best sunflower seeds are old, plump, and uniform in size. It is not advisable to buy seeds that are shriveled and uneven in size.
NO6 Cashews
Nutritional Value: Certain vitamins and trace elements in cashews have a good effect on softening blood vessels, which is very beneficial for protecting blood vessels and preventing cardiovascular diseases.
Dietary Taboos: The fatty acids in cashews belong to the category of healthy fatty acids. Although they are not likely to cause weight gain, they should not be eaten in excess, especially by obese people who should be more cautious.
Correct Selection: Choose cashews that are complete in the shape of a crescent, white in color, plump, fragrant, rich in oil, and free from insects or spots. Those that are sticky or damp indicate insufficient freshness.
NO7 Pine Nuts
Nutritional Value: Pine nuts contain protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Most of the fat consists of healthy essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. They are also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc. Eating them regularly can nourish and strengthen the body.
Dietary Taboos: They should not be eaten if they have been stored for a long time and have a rancid smell. People with poor gallbladder function should be cautious.
Correct Selection: Pine nuts should be selected for their bright color, light brown shells that are hard and brittle, kernels that are easy to remove, large and uniform size, and full shells. Avoid those with dull shells, unshape, moldy, or shriveled appearance.
NO8 Pumpkin Seeds
Nutritional Value: Pumpkin seeds are rich in pantothenic acid, which can relieve stable angina and has a blood pressure-lowering effect.
Dietary Taboos: Do not eat too many at once. There have been reports of dizziness caused by excessive consumption of pumpkin seeds. Patients with stomach heat should eat them in moderation, otherwise, they may feel bloated and stuffy.
Correct Selection: High-quality pumpkin seeds should be large in flakes, the kernels full and convex, the shell surface clean and naturally shiny, easy to crack when bitten, and easy to extract the meat.
NO9 Hazelnuts
Nutritional Value: The calcium, phosphorus, and iron content in hazelnuts is also higher than in other nuts. Due to their rich nutrition and delicious taste, people have regarded them as a precious fruit since ancient times. Hazelnuts are neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with effects such as replenishing qi, strengthening the spleen, stopping diarrhea, improving eyesight, and expelling parasites.
Dietary Taboos: People with severe gallbladder dysfunction should be cautious. They should not be eaten after being stored for a long time.
Correct Selection: Hazelnuts should be large, round, and intact, with thin, clean shells, a high kernel yield, and be dry. The kernel slices should be large, white, and high in oil. The selection method should be based on observing the kernels. Plump kernels are the best, while shriveled ones are inferior. The color of the kernel skin is best when it's yellowish-white, followed by dark yellow, then brownish-yellow. If the kernel skin is greasy, it is a sign of spoilage. White and fresh kernel meat is best; kernel meat with oil stains "chrysanthemum heart" is inferior; if the entire kernel is greasy, sticky, dark brown, and has a rancid smell, it is seriously spoiled and cannot be eaten.
NO10 Chestnuts
Nutritional Value: The rich unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals in chestnuts can prevent and treat diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and osteoporosis. They are a nourishing delicacy for anti-aging and prolonging life.
Dietary Taboos: Diabetics should avoid them. Infants, young children, people with weak spleen and stomach, poor digestion, and those suffering from rheumatism should not eat too many. Raw chestnuts are difficult to digest, and cooked ones can easily cause qi stagnation, so they should not be eaten in large quantities at once.
Correct Selection: When selecting chestnuts: shells that are bright red, with brown, purple, or ochre colors and a glossy sheen are generally of better quality. If the shell has changed color, is dull, or has dark spots, it indicates that the fruit has been insect-infested or has spoiled due to heat. You can pinch the chestnut with your hand; if it feels firm, the flesh is generally full. If it feels hollow, it indicates that the flesh has shriveled or has become soft after being heated. Shake a handful of chestnuts in your hand; if there is a rattling sound from the shells, it means the flesh has dried out and may be old chestnuts being passed off as fresh ones.