Nut alternatives have stolen the limelight in the past decade — popular milk alternatives like almond milk and cashew milk quickly became fan favorites, as well as nut butter, peanut butter’s now-popular cousin.
Includes nuts Protein food group and can serve as a key protein component in vegetarian diets. According to myplate.gov, the general recommended daily protein intake for adults is 5-6 ounces. One tablespoon of peanut butter or ½ ounce of nuts equals one ounce of this daily intake.
Want to eat more nuts every day? Here are the nutrients you’ll get:
What are healthy nuts?
Most nuts are going to provide healthy fats, fiber, and protein, but keep an eye out for these two nutrient-dense favorites:
walnut
“Walnuts are a really good source of omega threes, and they help raise HDL levels,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Danielle Crumble Smith.
HDL stands for high density lipoprotein, Sometimes referred to as “good cholesterol”. HDL cholesterol absorbs cholesterol from the blood and carries it to the liver to remove it from the body. High levels of HDL are associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
Studies have also suggested walnuts improve memory, Learning, motor coordination, anxiety and locomotor activity.
cashew nuts
Besides being a good source of fiber and protein, almonds are also high in vitamin E, which protects our body from cell damage by fighting free radicals. At the core Unstable and highly reactive molecules that can cause cellular aging, damage and disease.
“The more antioxidants you have, the more you’re setting your body up for success in being able to protect itself,” says Crumble Smith.
Adding any kind of nuts to your diet will contribute to a healthy diet. They are a good source of protein, although be aware that pecans and macadamia nuts are very high Low protein compared to other types.
But as delicious as they can be, sometimes a handful of nuts just doesn’t feel satisfying to our stomachs. Crumble Smith says this makes it easy to overeat nuts or nut butters.
“If people are focused on weight (loss), look for ways to incorporate it into foods that fill you up without relying on nuts or butter,” she says. “You’re using it as a healthy fat source, so you can enjoy it while filling up on other ingredients.”
If you’re looking for ways to include more nuts in your diet, try these tips:
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Is peanut butter good for you?
Peanuts are technically a legume — like peas, edamame, and lentils — but are considered a nut in society’s eyes because of their distinct taste and name.
Peanut butter is a popular way to incorporate peanuts into your diet, but peanut butter lovers should be aware of the ingredients label on the back. Most popular peanut butter brands contain added sugar and hydrogenated oil to prevent the mixture from separating. Natural peanut butter often contains only one or two ingredients – peanuts and a little salt.
“For someone who eats relatively healthy and hates natural peanut butter, is peanut butter like Skippy or Jiff going to be that bad for you? No,” says Crumble Smith. “But if people don’t mind eating natural foods, it’s going to be better for you with less processed ingredients.”
An easy solution is to make your own peanut butter – a quick way to make sure you’re eating exactly what you’re eating. To follow Crumble Smith’s recipe, blend the peanuts in a food processor or high-powered blender for a few minutes until the consistency turns from crunchy to smooth. She says she sometimes adds store-bought peanut butter to make it creamier, but you can achieve the same consistency with just peanuts.
If desired, add salt to your homemade almond butter by adding cinnamon or experiment with a new flavor.
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Are brazil nuts good for you?
Related videos have nearly three million views brazil nuts on tiktok, Most of the internet squabbles over how to eat them and how many a day to eat.
Brazil nuts are a good source Magnesium, copper, zinc, Protein, fatty acids and shown Increase HDL levels.
There are also Brazil nuts High levels of selenium, which is important for thyroid function, reproduction, DNA production and protection against free radicals and infection. Selenium is also found in seafood, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, bread, cereal and other grain products, according to the National Institutes of Health.
But because Brazil nuts are high in selenium, eating too many can put your body over the upper limit of selenium and have many side effects over time. According to the National Institutes of Health, these effects include diarrhea, nausea, brittle or lost hair and nails, skin rashes, irritability, bad breath or taste, and nervous system defects.
One Brazil nut contains 68-91 micrograms of selenium. The upper limit for selenium is less than 100 micrograms for children younger than 3 years, just 150 micrograms for ages 4-8, 280 micrograms for children ages 9-13, and 400 micrograms for ages 14 and older.
People with underactive thyroids or those diagnosed with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease may benefit from eating one to two Brazil nuts per day, Crumble Smith says. For everyone else, mixed with one or two other nuts is recommended more as an occasional snack than as a daily staple.
“If you take a multivitamin, check how much selenium it contains and evaluate your intake of other selenium-rich food sources so you can be aware of your baseline intake,” says Crumble Smith. But as always, consult your physician if you have specific questions about your health and diet.
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