When it comes to nuts, there is a wide variety of types and forms. From the delicious macadamia to the peculiar pecan, from the oily macadamia to the uniquely shaped Brazil nut, the number of varieties is endless. However, the benefits of these nuts have some commonalities. Let's explore the benefits of nuts by combining their common characteristics and specific varieties.
Small nuts, rich in nutrition
1. Oils
When discussing the benefits of nuts, it is certainly inseparable from their characteristic of being rich in oil. The oil content of nuts is quite astonishing. For example, macadamia nuts can have an oil content of over 70%. This is why we commonly see edible oils made from nuts, such as peanut oil and sunflower oil. The oil in nuts is vastly different from that extracted from other plants. Firstly, it contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, which can effectively lower our cholesterol and maintain the balance of our blood pressure and blood lipids.
2. Vitamins and Inorganic Salts
Having covered the most abundant component in nuts, which is oil, let's now discuss the benefits of nuts from the perspective of the vitamins and inorganic salts they contain. Nuts are generally rich in vitamins A, B, and E. Vitamin B can effectively regulate the conversion and secretion of oils in our body, improving symptoms such as oily skin and dandruff. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties, allowing our cells to remain healthy and vibrant for a longer time, thereby providing anti-aging and longevity effects. The benefits of nuts also include the inorganic salts they contain, which we commonly refer to as minerals. A rich content of calcium and phosphorus helps strengthen our bones, and a balanced presence of various minerals also enhances our immune system.
3. Amino Acids and Protein
In addition to the aforementioned points, the benefits of nuts are also related to the various amino acids they contain. You may have heard that nuts are good for the brain. This is because nuts contain many amino acids that our bodies need, some of which we cannot synthesize ourselves but are closely related to the development and maintenance of our brains. Therefore, regularly eating nuts can have a great nourishing effect on our brains.
5 Types of Nuts to Avoid
1. Scorched Nuts
Most nuts cannot be eaten raw, so we can only eat roasted nuts. Roasted nuts are fragrant and crispy, taste much better than raw ones, and do not harm our health. However, if the heat is not controlled properly, nuts can easily get scorched. Scorched nuts should absolutely not be eaten.
Eating scorched nuts can pose a cancer risk. Because nuts contain large amounts of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and other substances, ordinary heating is not enough to destroy these nutrients. However, if nuts are scorched, these originally beneficial nutrients are converted into carcinogenic substances. Therefore, scorched nuts are inedible.
2. Nuts with an Off Smell
The nuts we often eat contain a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids. If stored improperly or for a long time, they can undergo rancidity, resulting in an off smell. Once the fatty acids in nuts become rancid, the main harm is that the taste of the nuts becomes very unpleasant, and there is also a pungent, irritating sensation in the throat.
On the other hand, the products of the rancidity of the oils in nuts, such as small-molecule aldehydes and ketones, also pose a serious threat to our health. If we consume a large amount of these off-smelling nuts, it can lead to diarrhea in mild cases, and in severe cases, it can cause liver and other diseases. Many unscrupulous merchants driven by greed will not discard spoiled nuts; instead, they will re-roast them and season them heavily with salt, Sichuan pepper, star anise, essence, or saccharin to try to mask the off smell. This is why when we eat these nuts, we might taste saltiness, five-spice flavor, or creaminess at different times. If we consume these nuts in large quantities over a long period, it will seriously harm our health and poses a significant cancer risk.
3. Nuts Processed with Paraffin
When buying nuts, we often see a type of nut that is brightly colored, large, and full-looking, which is very appetizing. In fact, most brightly colored nuts have been processed with paraffin. Applying paraffin during the processing of nuts makes them look fresher, improves their appearance, and most importantly, extends their shelf life, making them less likely to become damp and soft, thus allowing them to be sold for a longer period.
If we see nuts with a shiny, oily exterior when buying them, they are likely to have been coated with paraffin. Moreover, many long-accumulated nuts are often re-processed with paraffin by unscrupulous merchants to pass them off as better quality. These nuts re-processed with paraffin contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, which can seriously harm our health and also pose a cancer risk. Therefore, we must be very careful when purchasing nuts.
4. Moldy Nuts
Many nuts are easily contaminated by Aspergillus flavus, leading to mold and the production of a substance called aflatoxin. This substance is highly toxic and seriously harms our health. Eating nuts containing aflatoxin can cause fever, vomiting, and in severe cases, it can be life-threatening. Aflatoxin also has strong carcinogenic properties and causes significant damage to our internal organs. Therefore, we must resist the temptation to eat moldy nuts. If you detect a bitter taste, or a moldy and pungent sensation in your mouth while eating nuts, you should spit them out immediately and rinse your mouth promptly.
5. Nuts with a Strong Flavor
The stronger the flavor of the nuts we eat, the more salt was added during the roasting process. Secondly, many nuts with a strong flavor and rich aroma are also processed with large amounts of essences and saccharin. Cream-flavored nuts, in particular, often contain a large amount of artificial cream. These substances are harmful to our health and offer no benefits. Moreover, consuming them in large quantities also poses a cancer risk.