Better Nutrition November 2020

What’s a Realistic Serving?
The key to reaping the benefits of nuts is to eat them in moderation.
All it takes is a ½ oz. to 1 oz. serving daily up to five days a week. The
following amounts equal 1 oz:
didn’t eat these foods. A study conducted
in 2013 found that people who consumed
more than two servings of nuts per week
had a 32 percent lower risk of metabolic
syndrome than those who never or almost
never consumed nuts.
Photo: adobestock.com
24 almonds
18 medium cashews
12 hazelnuts,
8 medium Brazil nuts
12 macadamia nuts
What Makes Nuts So Healthy?
They’re a source of healthy fats, dietary
fiber, and vegetable protein, and they
also contain numerous heart-protective
vitamins and minerals, including
vitamin E, folic acid, niacin, vitamin B 6
,
magnesium, zinc, copper, and potassium.
Nuts contain the nonessential amino
acid arginine, which plays an important
role in protecting the inner lining of
the arterial walls, and they also contain
phytochemicals, biologically active plant
chemicals with high antioxidant properties
that help protect against disease.
Fewer Deaths From All Causes
Higher nut intake is also associated with
less cancer risk and decreased risk of
death from all causes, including diabetes,
respiratory disease, neurodegenerative
disease, and infections. The authors of
the 2017 meta-analysis wrote: “These
findings support recommendations to
increase intake of nuts to reduce the risk
of chronic diseases and premature mortality
in the general population.”
Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Research points to nuts being beneficial in
the prevention and treatment of diabetes
and metabolic syndrome. Nuts are low in
carbohydrates and don’t raise blood sugar
14–15 walnut or pecan halves
35 peanuts (technically a
legume but with a similar
nutrient profile to
tree nuts).
Raw or sprouted nuts are healthiest. Eat them as they are, or
toast in the oven (below 350°F). Dry-roasted nuts are the next
best option. Avoid nuts roasted in vegetable or seed oils (e.g.,
soybean oil) and salted or sugared nuts.
Keep these nutrient-dense morsels at room temp to
have grab-and-go foods around. If you’re storing a lot
of nuts, refrigerate or freeze to keep fresh.
levels much. Therefore,
substituting nuts for
higher-carb foods is a good strategy
for lowering blood sugar levels.
Several studies have shown that
blood sugar, blood pressure, and other
health markers improve when people
with type 2 diabetes and metabolic
syndrome include nuts in their diet.
Research suggests that nuts may exert
beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome
by improving inflammation, the balance
between free radicals and antioxidants,
and impaired functioning of the lining
of blood vessels. These mechanisms in
turn can improve insulin sensitivity
and secretion, and decrease the risk
of diabetes, unhealthy blood lipid levels,
abdominal obesity, and hypertension,
all components of metabolic syndrome.
Prevent Metabolic Syndrome,
a Prediabetes Condition
Eating nuts also lowers the risk of
developing metabolic syndrome. One
cross-sectional study of 13,292 participants
reported that people who ate tree nuts
and nut butter had a lower prevalence
of metabolic syndrome and four of its
components—abdominal obesity,
hypertension, elevated blood sugar, and
low HDL cholesterol—than those who
A Strong Heart
Two large epidemiological studies—
after adjusting for other coronary heart
disease risk factors—linked the intake
of five or more servings (five ounces)
of nuts per week to a 35–50 percent
reduction in risk of coronary heart
disease incidence and death.
Staving Off Weight Gain—
or Boosting It
Increasing nut consumption
by just half a serving (½
ounce per day) is associated
with less long-term weight gain
and a lower risk for obesity in adults,
according to a large, long-term observational
study, published in the online
journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention &
Health in 2019. Replacing unhealthy
foods, such as processed meats, French
fries, and potato chips with half a serving
of nuts may be a simple strategy to
stave off the gradual weight gain that
often accompanies the aging process,
the authors of the study write.
Even though nuts are a concentrated
source of fat and calories, research
indicates that eating moderate amounts
of them either has no significant effect
on body weight or actually helps prevent
weight gain—and sometimes even
promote weight loss.
In a study of overweight women,
those eating almonds lost nearly three
times as much weight and experienced
a significantly greater decrease in
waist size compared to those who
didn’t eat them. The few trials that
have contrasted weight loss through
meal plans that include or exclude nuts
indicate more compliance and weight
loss when nuts are part of the diet.
Many researchers believe that nuts
may help with weight control for the
following reasons:
NOVEMBER 2020 • 49