Introduction: Nuts are very popular snacks, common ones include walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. Nuts include tree nuts and plant seeds, which are the essence of plants. Nuts are generally rich in nutrition, high in protein, oil, minerals, and vitamins, and have excellent effects on human growth and development, strengthening the body, and preventing diseases.
From a nutritional analysis, the nutrition of nuts has the following characteristics:
1. The fat content is relatively high, at 44%-70%. However, the fatty acids in nuts are mainly unsaturated fatty acids, which help increase the content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (beneficial to health) in the blood and reduce the cholesterol content in the blood, and have a certain effect on preventing coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.
2. Rich in protein, accounting for 5.3%-25%.
3. Rich in vitamins and minerals. Among them, minerals such as magnesium, potassium, copper, and selenium can not only regulate various physiological functions but are also important elements for synthesizing antioxidant enzymes in the body. Nuts are rich in nutrients with antioxidant effects such as vitamin E and selenium, which have the effects of delaying aging and anti-tumor.
Oven-Roasted Cashews
Research findings on nuts and health:
1. Does eating nuts increase body weight?
Nuts are high in fat. Will eating nuts frequently increase body weight? Some scientific studies have provided answers. Researchers had subjects eat 1 liang (50 grams) of nuts daily for nearly 6 months. The results showed that the subjects' diets increased their intake of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, and copper, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, but their body weight did not change significantly. In another study, 81 subjects ate 50-100 grams of large almonds (40-80 kernels) daily, and their average weight increased by 0.40 kg, but this change occurred in people with low body weight. This is because large almonds are rich in dietary fiber, which easily produces a feeling of fullness, so you feel full without eating much. Dietary fiber can also reduce fat absorption.
2. What is the relationship between nuts and heart health?
A study showed that eating a small amount of large almonds daily can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Subjects who ate large almonds or other nuts more than 5 times a week had a half lower risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases than those who rarely ate nuts. People who ate nuts at least once a week had a lower risk of heart disease than those who never ate nuts. This may be due to the dietary fiber and unsaturated fatty acids in large almonds. A Harvard University study of 86,000 women showed that people who ate more nuts over a 10-year period had a significantly lower risk of heart disease.
Almond and Sesame Soy Milk
Based on the nutritional components of nuts and their effects on health, the following recommendations are made:
1. Eat in moderation.
The energy content in nuts is higher than that of steamed buns of the same weight. Every 100 grams of nuts contain 300-600 kcal, while 100 grams of steamed buns contain 220 kcal, so it is not advisable to eat them in excess. Some people use eating nuts as a method to control their weight, eating a large amount of nuts daily, such as 1-2 jin (500-1000 grams) of sunflower seeds, which is actually unscientific. The "Chinese Residents' Dietary Guidelines" recommends that eating 50 grams of nuts per week is beneficial to health.
2. Eat in various ways.
There are many ways to eat nuts. You can eat a few nuts for breakfast; have a few with tea; put nuts in a small gum container to carry with you, and have a few when you feel hungry in the morning or afternoon. Nuts can be eaten alone or used in dishes, such as celery with cashews, which are both nutritious and delicious.
3. Eat less salted nuts.
When choosing nuts, it is recommended to choose the original flavor and not the salted ones to reduce salt intake.
Lotus Seed and Peanut Paste