NUTS

Nuts- fruits with a shell and protein

A nut is a fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed.  Nuts are high in unsaturated fats (healthy fats), including monounsaturated fats. Many nuts are good sources of vitamins A, C, E and B₂, and are rich in protein, folate, fiber, and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium.

Most commonly consumed nuts:

• Almonds are the edible seeds of drupe fruits — the leathery "flesh" is removed at harvest.
• Brazil nut is the seed from a capsule.
• Candlenut (used for oil) is a seed.
• Cashew is the seed of an accessory fruit.
• Hazelnut or Gevuina
• Macadamia nut is a creamy white kernel of a follicle type fruit.
• Chestnut
• Pecan is the seed of a drupe fruit
• Peanut is a seed and from a legume type fruit
• Pine nut is the seed of several species of pine (coniferous trees).
• Pistachio is the seed of a thin-shelled drupe.
• Walnut (Juglans)

Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet can be good for your heart. Nuts, which contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients, are a great snack food, too. They're inexpensive, easy to store and easy to take with you to work or school.

If you avoid eating any nuts because you think they're too fattening, you're wrong! Dietitians, nutritionists, and the USDA (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture) are now urging us to eat the six particular nuts almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and peanuts, not only because they can help us lose or maintain our weight, but because they are the best, most nutritious, and overall healthiest nuts, and their high "good" fats override their amount of "bad" fat.

Scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of peanuts and certain tree nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Therefore, to compensate for their calories, these nuts should be eaten instead of cookies, chips and other such snacks. Also, nuts aren't fattening if eaten in moderation.

Nuts are most healthy in their raw form. The reason is that up to 15% of the healthy oils that naturally occur in nuts are lost during the roasting process. Dry roasted nuts don't have added fat, while oil roasted ones have about 10% more calories, but avoid nuts roasted in saturated fat! Honey roasted nuts also have more calories. Blanched means the skin on the nuts was removed. Unsalted nuts are preferable (no added sodium).

Nutritional Facts:

Almonds: 1 oz=23 whole almonds

• Protein 6.02 g, Vit. E 7.43 mg. (Vit. A & Vit. C none). Calcium 75 mg, Magnesium 76 mg, Potassium 200 mg, Fiber 3.5 g, monounsaturated fat 8.757 g, polyunsaturated fat 3.422 g, saturated fat 1.058g. Calories 163. (There aren't any significant nutritional changes between natural, roasted or blanched almonds.)

Pistachios: 1 oz=49 pistachio nuts (dry roasted, salt added)

• Protein 5.94 g, Vit. A 73 Int'l Units, Beta Carotene 44 mcg, Vit. C 0.9 mg, Vit. E .69 mg. Calcium 30 mg, Magnesium 31 mg, Potassium 285 mg, Fiber 2.8 g, mono fat 6.712 g, poly fat 3.813 g, saturated fat 1.547 g. Calories 160.

Hazelnuts: 1 oz=21 hazelnuts

• Protein 4.24 g, Vit. A 6 Int'l Units, Beta Carotene 3 mcg, Vit. C 1.8 mg and Vit. E 4.26 mg. Calcium 32 mg, Magnesium 46 mg, Potassium 193 mg, Fiber 2.7 g, mono fat 12.942, poly fat 2.245 g, saturated fat 1.266 g, folate 32 mcg. Calories 178

Peanuts: 1 oz=approximately 34 shelled peanuts (28.35 g)

• Protein 6.71 g, Vit. E 1.96 mg, Calcium mg, Magnesium 50 mg, Potassium 187 mg, Fiber 2.3 g, mono fat 6.985 g, poly fat 4.449 g, saturated fat 1.954 g, folate 41 mcg. Calories 166.

Wanuts: 1 oz=7 walnuts

• Protein 4.32 g, Vit. A 6 Int'l Units, Beta Carotene 3 mcg, Vit. E .20 mg, Calcium .28 mg, Magnesium .45 mg, Potassium 125 mg, Fiber 1.0 g, mono fat 2.533g, poly fat 13.374 g, saturated fat 1.737 g, folate 14 mcg, selenium 1.4 mcg. Calories 185

Pecans: 1 oz=19 halves pecans

• Protein 2.60 g, Vit. A 16 Int'l Units, Beta Carotene 8 mcg, Vit. E 0.40 mg, Calcium 0.3 mg, Magnesium 34 mg, Potassium 116 mg, Fiber 2.7 g, mono fat 11.567 g, poly fat 6.128 g, saturated fat 1.752 g, folate 6 mcg, selenium 1.1 mcg. Calories 196