How to Eat Nuts Healthier in Autumn and Winter
Introduction: In autumn and winter, people tend to focus on "dietary therapy." Compared to consuming large amounts of beef, mutton, and spicy foods, eating nuts is a good alternative. So, how can one eat nuts in a healthier way during the autumn and winter? The following summarizes 6 questions about eating nuts in the autumn and winter for everyone's reference.
1. Why are nuts suitable for consumption in autumn and winter?
According to the arrangement of nature, most plants sprout in spring, so nuts are not considered seasonal food. However, we all know that squirrels and many small animals store nuts as food for the winter. Since nuts are seeds, they contain various nutrients needed for plant germination and growth, as well as antioxidants that help them be stored for an entire winter. Therefore, they are very nutritious and suitable for replenishing the body's nutrients in autumn and winter. Thus, in a traditional sense, nuts are a seasonal food, suitable for consumption in autumn and winter.
2. Are nuts beneficial for the body's ability to resist cold?
Especially important nutrients in nuts are vitamin E, various B vitamins, as well as various minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, along with a certain amount of protein. These substances help people resist the cold in winter. Among them, calcium has a certain relationship with the body's heat production capacity; iron helps transport oxygen in the body to ensure normal biological oxidation; and a large amount of natural vitamin E is beneficial for improving microcirculation. With strong heat production and good blood circulation, the body is less likely to experience cold hands and feet.
3. Nuts are high in fat, will they make people gain weight more easily in winter?
Whether eating nuts leads to weight gain depends on how you eat them. People generally have this experience: eating nuts between meals causes weight gain. That's correct because their fat content is very high, ranging from 40% to 80%. Eating nuts after meals can lead to excessive energy intake for the day, especially if you eat nuts while watching TV after dinner, which will certainly lead to weight gain.
However, if you eat nuts during meals, the situation is completely different. Some nuts have a high dietary fiber content, especially almonds (large and small), hazelnuts, etc., which provide a strong sense of satiety. Eating these nuts during a meal does not add extra energy to the meal. On the contrary, studies have shown that when large almonds are included in a meal and consumed with starchy foods, they can prolong the feeling of satiety after the meal, and even continue to have an effect until the next meal, extending the satiety effect for the entire day.
In other words, if you replace the "staple food + greasy dishes" combination with "large almonds + staple food + less greasy dishes" during a meal, the former is more beneficial for controlling food intake under the same energy intake, preventing a sharp increase in appetite due to premature hunger, and is therefore beneficial for weight control.
4. Is it better to eat nuts whole, chopped, or pressed into nut oil?
Whole nuts contain protein, essential fatty acids, a small amount of starch, dietary fiber, and various vitamins and minerals, while nut oil only contains essential fatty acids and vitamin E; other nutrients are excluded from the oil. Therefore, the health benefits of nuts are greatly diminished. So, it is certain that the nutritional value of whole nuts is better than that of nut oil.
There are pros and cons to eating nuts chopped or whole, and it varies from person to person.
Studies have confirmed that compared to eating them crushed, eating large almonds whole provides a stronger sense of satiety and is more effective for controlling post-meal blood sugar spikes. This is because the texture of large almonds is dense and they are high in fiber, making them difficult to chew and grind completely, so their digestion is slower, and the resulting rise in blood sugar and blood lipids is naturally slower. Eating them crushed may speed up digestion. This is even more true if they are ground into a paste.
For people with poor digestion, or for those who are anemic and deficient in zinc and are particularly concerned about mineral absorption, it is better to eat nuts crushed or ground into a paste. However, for people with high blood sugar or blood lipids, eating nuts whole may be more beneficial for controlling blood sugar, increasing satiety, and preventing a rise in blood lipids.
5. Can nuts be used in cooking?
Yes, nuts can be eaten directly as snacks, added to soy milk, chopped and sandwiched in bread, or used directly in stir-fries and cold salads. For cold salads, it's simple: just sprinkle them on the mixed vegetables. For stir-fries, remember to add them later; don't throw the nuts into the hot oil first.
This is because the fatty acids in nuts have a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids with two double bonds, and walnuts also contain arachidonic acid with four double bonds, while walnuts and pine nuts contain alpha-linolenic acid with three double bonds. Their heat resistance is poor, and after frying, they lose their health benefits and can even produce oxidized polymers and trans fatty acids. The vitamin E and various B vitamins in them also cannot withstand frying. Therefore, it is recommended to add the nuts towards the end of stir-frying and just toss them together. If you must eat fried nuts, you must strictly control the heat, ensuring they do not change color significantly.
6. What is the simplest way to include nuts in a meal?
Whether it's stir-frying, making cold salads, or adding to soy milk, many people still find it troublesome. The simplest method is to put nuts in a small dish and place them directly on the dining table. Eat them as a cold side dish with other dishes and staples during the meal. It's incredibly simple, but it tastes great!