Nuts are a popular snack for many people. Nuts are not only rich in nutrition but also delicious. However, some nuts can be harmful to your health if eaten in excess. What are they? Let's take a look at the dangers of eating too many nuts and five types of nuts you should not eat.
What are the benefits of eating nuts? What are their medicinal and dietary effects?
Peanuts: Peanuts contain vitamin E and zinc, which can enhance memory, fight aging, moisturize the skin, and delay the decline of brain function. Peanuts are nourishing and beneficial for longevity, earning them the name "longevity fruit".
Almonds: Almonds are rich in vitamin E and an antioxidant called flavonoids, which help cells resist oxidative damage and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, almonds can also act as a mild cough remedy, effectively treating a dry throat and dry cough.
Chestnuts: Chestnuts are a specialty in China, known as the "king of dried fruits," and are also called "ginseng fruit" abroad. Fresh chestnuts contain more vitamin C than tomatoes, which are widely recognized as being rich in vitamin C, and over ten times more than apples!
Walnuts: Walnuts contain a large amount of vitamin E, which is the ideal beauty agent for human skin, can relieve fatigue, and reduce the intestines' absorption of cholesterol. The fat in walnuts is rich in fatty acids essential for the human brain, and its phospholipids can nourish and strengthen the brain.
Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds contain beta-carotene, which can prevent the necrosis of cells in the lower layers of human skin and make hair soft and beautiful. Vitamin B8 can cure depression and neurasthenia.
Pistachios: Pistachio kernels are a highly nutritious food. Every 100 kernels contain 20 micrograms of vitamin A, 59 micrograms of folic acid, 3 milligrams of iron, 440 milligrams of phosphorus, 970 milligrams of potassium, 270 milligrams of sodium, and 120 milligrams of calcium, as well as niacin, pantothenic acid, and other minerals. The kernel oil content is as high as 45.1%. Due to their rich oil content, pistachios have a laxative effect, helping the body detoxify. Pistachios are also a nourishing food and medicine. They are sweet, non-toxic, warm the kidneys and spleen, benefit deficiency and damage, regulate the middle and qi, and can treat neurasthenia, edema, anemia, malnutrition, and chronic diarrhea. Pistachios are high in calories and contain a lot of fat, so people who are afraid of gaining weight or have high blood lipids should eat them in moderation.
5 situations where you should not eat nuts
Moldy. Many nuts are easily contaminated by Aspergillus flavus and become moldy, producing a highly toxic substance—aflatoxin. It can cause fever, vomiting, and in severe cases, be life-threatening. Aflatoxin is also a powerful carcinogen and extremely damaging to human organs. Therefore, moldy nuts must not be eaten. If you find a bitter, musty, or spicy taste in your mouth, spit it out immediately and rinse your mouth promptly.
Roasted until burnt. Nuts contain large amounts of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, which ordinary heating cannot destroy. However, when nuts are roasted until burnt, the temperature is already over 200°C. At this point, the originally beneficial nutrients begin to partially convert into carcinogenic substances such as benzopyrene, heterocyclic amines, and acrylamide. Therefore, burnt nuts should not be eaten.
"Beautified" with paraffin. On one hand, adding paraffin during nut processing makes the product look fresher and better, and it prevents them from becoming damp and soft. If you see nuts with a shiny, oily appearance that is obviously "prettier" than ordinary nuts, they may have been treated with paraffin. On the other hand, some vendors add paraffin to long-accumulated, poorly colored nuts to "beautify" them and pass them off as better quality. The industrial paraffin used by vendors is not pure and contains impurities like heavy metals, which are harmful to health.
Too strong in flavor. First, the stronger the flavor, the more salt is often added. Second, many heavily flavored and fragrant nuts have added flavorings, saccharin, and other substances during processing. Creamy-flavored nuts also add artificial cream, which is not good for your health. Finally, the stronger the flavor of the nut, the greater the possibility that it is spoiled behind its delicious taste.
Covered in dust. Responsible vendors pay attention to the cleanliness of nut raw materials and the dust-proofing of their products. However, on the market, there are also products with a lot of dust and other impurities in the raw materials, with no covering during sales. Therefore, when buying, it's best to take a close look at the bottom of the container holding the nuts. Unclean nuts often leave a layer of dust at the bottom.
How to choose high-quality nuts?
1. Full appearance
When buying nuts, pay attention to their appearance. Normal nuts should be round and full, not dry and flat, and without signs of insect damage. For high-quality nuts, the curve is natural, the tail is thick, and although the front is not as thick as the back, you can still feel the fullness of the entire cashew.
2. Lighter color
It's common to see nuts on the market, some brightly colored and others paler. Which type is of better quality? Let's reveal the answer: nuts with a paler color are of better quality. We used to think that only shiny, brightly colored things would whet the appetite, but the nutrition in nuts fried at high temperatures is mostly destroyed by the heat.
3. A rancid smell means they are not fresh
Nuts are rich in oil. If exposed to the air for a long time, they will oxidize, and a rancid smell may appear. Therefore, when selecting nuts, you can carefully check if there are oxygen absorbers inside. Also, if you don't eat nuts quickly and often open and close the package, it will accelerate oxidation. Try not to buy large packages when purchasing; a size of about 160-230 grams is suitable.