Essential Nut Knowledge: Did You Know?

Introduction: There are many things in life that can become habits. For example, drinking a glass of water after waking up every morning to replenish body fluids, and so on. The cultivation of such good habits can regulate our bodies and delay the onset of a sub-health state. Today, we recommend eating nuts—we hope you can make eating nuts a daily habit! Below, we will introduce the nutritional value of nuts and a few precautions to take when eating them.

Nuts are the edible part of the seed, and because they are covered in a hard, woody or leathery shell, they are called nuts. According to their fat content, nuts can be divided into oily nuts and starchy nuts. The former are rich in oil and include walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts, torreya nuts, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. The latter have a high starch content and little fat, including chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, lotus seeds, etc.

Italian Nut Cookies

Nuts have a unique flavor and are deeply loved by people. They are important holiday foods as well as significant leisure snacks. Most nuts are seeds carefully nurtured by plants, concentrating the essence of plant nutrition.

The nutrition in nuts is relatively rich. In addition to being rich in protein, they also contain more vitamin E, vitamin B, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and a good amount of dietary fiber. Nuts also contain natural antioxidant components. With the exception of a few varieties (such as chestnuts, lotus seeds, ginkgo nuts) that can be classified as starchy staples, most nuts contain a significant amount of fat and have a rich, fragrant flavor, which is one of the main reasons for their popularity. The fat in nuts is mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some also contain a certain amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. Research has shown that eating a small amount of nuts weekly may be beneficial for heart health. Other studies have shown that adding a handful of walnuts to the diet of type 2 diabetes patients can improve their blood lipid levels.

However, although nuts are good, they are by no means a case of "the more, the better." Because they contain a lot of fat and are high in calories, excessive consumption can easily lead to obesity. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends: Nuts are delicious but should not be consumed in excess. 50g per week is appropriate.

Three precautions when eating nuts:

Do not eat fried nuts:

Nuts themselves contain a lot of fat and calories. After being fried, such as fried peanuts, not only are the B vitamins they contain destroyed, but the fat content becomes even higher and the calories increase. Therefore, it is recommended to process nuts by roasting, stir-frying, boiling, or braising.

Nut and Grain Pie

Do not eat rancid nuts:

Nuts contain a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Improper storage or prolonged storage can lead to rancidity, which is what we commonly call "the rancid smell." When the fatty acids in nuts become rancid, on the one hand, it makes the nuts taste bad, producing a pungent, irritating taste. On the other hand, the products of oil rancidity in nuts, such as small-molecule aldehydes and ketones, are harmful to health. If consumed in large quantities, it can cause diarrhea in mild cases, and in severe cases, it may even lead to liver disease.

Nut Shortbread Cookies

Do not eat scorched nuts:

On one hand, scorched nuts can leave the eater's mouth and hands black. More importantly, they have adverse effects on health. We often say that the temperature when cooking food should not be too high, and the same is true for nuts. Nuts contain large amounts of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, and ordinary heating is not enough to destroy them. However, when nuts are scorched, the temperature is already over 200°C. At this point, these originally beneficial nutrients begin to partially convert into carcinogenic substances such as benzopyrene, heterocyclic amines, and acrylamide. Therefore, scorched nuts should not be eaten.

Speaking of which, these three types of nuts are very harmful to the body, so be sure to remember! Make it a habit to eat nuts. Nuts are also a type of snack with high nutritional value. The nutrients they provide can serve as a supplement to your main meals, and you can eat some appropriately between meals. Therefore, every little detail in life is about forming habits. Making it a daily habit to eat nuts will help us live a longer and healthier life.