An approach to the consumption of nuts. Pros and cons of each one. Part I.

Than nuts They are very good and are always on hand as an aperitif or a snack is something that we all have clear. Now, there is some controversy between whether the consumption of nuts is healthy, fattening, if better only a handful, if some nuts yes and others no, etc.

Therefore, in today's article we are going to try to talk about the main nuts that we can easily find in the market to clarify a little the doubts that may arise around these foods.

The main thing before entering the matter, is differentiate between nuts, seeds or legumes among other foods that are often believed to be nuts.

They are not nuts

Kites pumpkin, sunflower, etc ... the pipes are not nuts but seeds.
Pinions: they are seeds
Peanuts: they are actually a legume, not a dried fruit.
quicos: it is toasted corn, therefore they are a cereal.
Chestnuts: Due to its composition it is more similar to a tuber than to a dried fruit. They contain starch, are low in fat and protein.

Almonds

Almonds are perhaps one of the best known nuts together with walnuts and pistachios. It is present in all supermarkets and in a large number of culinary recipes, both sweet and savory.

You may have read negative things about almonds, however, they have many benefits for our body. It's more, almond flour is an excellent option for those who want to avoid consuming other types of flours which are unhealthy due to their inflammatory and non-nutritive power. Certainly if its consumption is abused it can influence weight gain. The key is not to abuse. Experts recommend taking up to a maximum of 20 almonds.

In 20 gr of almonds we find approximately:

115 calories
4.2 gr of carbohydrates of which 3,5 gr. they are fiber
10 grams of fat, of which 6.2 grams are MUFA and 2.4 grams are linoleic acid (LA)
4,2 gr. protein
They contain 35% of the necessary vitamin E per day
16% of the vitamin B2 needed per day
22% of the copper needed per day
13% of the magnesium needed per day
20% of the manganese needed per day

Benefits of consuming almonds:

Reduce insulin production
Improve glycemic control
They reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
Improve satiety
Including them in the diet helps reduce lipid oxidation biomarkers
They have prebiotic fibers
Helps improve the endocrine profile in cases of polycystic ovary syndrome

Cons of consuming almonds:

they have high levels of phytates, which can impair mineral absorption.
Most of the almonds we find are not raw but have undergone a pasteurization process.

Brazil Nuts

They are increasingly popular, but did you know that with consuming two or three brazil nuts a day is more than enough? They are a great way to get the necessary dose of Selenium that we need so that we do not have to take any supplements.

They are a dried fruit that we should not exceed, now we tell you the main reasons.

In 20 gr of Brazil nuts we find approximately:

131 calories
2,5 grams of carbohydrates, of which 1,5 grams are fiber
13 grams of fat, of which 4,9 grams are MUFA, 4,1 grams LA, 3 grams SFA
3 grams of protein
10,6% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B1
39% of the recommended daily consumption of copper
18% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium
10,6% of the recommended daily intake of manganese
700% of the recommended daily intake of selenium. Hence the great importance of its consumption

Benefits of consuming Brazil nuts:

As we have already mentioned, its great benefit is the contribution in selenium. We can also find benefits for the functioning of the thiorides, they have great power antioxidant and for the immune system, improve the male fertility and in addition, they take care of the cardiovascular health.

Cons of consuming Brazil nuts:

Its high percentage in selenium can make them toxic if it is exceeded in its consumption, this worries some people, but if taken in moderation there should be no problem.
They also have high levels of phytate but by recommending such a low daily intake, they should not be a problem either.

Macadamia nuts

Cada vez most popular due to its buttery flavor and texture. It is true that it is a delicatessen product in some countries and they are increasingly being incorporated into culinary products such as chocolate and other types of prostres.

Although it is better not to exceed its consumption since you have to eat a balanced diet, this dried fruit It does not present any problem if we consume it in large quantities.

In 20 gr of macadamia nuts we find approximately:

203.5 calories
3.9 grams of carbohydrates: 2.4 grams of fiber
21,5 gr of fat: 16,7 gr monounsaturated, 0,1 gr. linolic acid, 0,4 gr alpha-linolenic acid, 3,4 gr. short chain fatty acids
2,2 gr. protein
28% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B1
24% of the recommended daily consumption of copper
13% of the recommended daily intake of iron
51% of the recommended daily intake of manganese

Benefits of consuming macadamia nuts:

They are low in phytates. They do not have to be soaked or sprouted.
They have a practically zero presence of pesticide residues regardless of how they are grown.
They are low in Omega-6
They improve the lipid profile of men and women who have hypercholesterolemia.
In addition, from all of the above, oxidative stress biomarkers are lowered.

Cons of consuming macadamia nuts:

No cons to their consumption have been found except that it is still difficult for us to stop eating them due to their taste.

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In general, consuming nuts is recommended if it is done in moderation and you choose which nuts to consume. We recommend you look for part II of this article where you can find other popular nuts such as cashews and we will also talk about chestnuts, although as we have already mentioned they are not exactly a dry fruit.

Bezzia