Nuts. Nutrition and Health Benefits, Where a Little of What You Fancy Does You Good

Right, before we get started, I'm not going with any scientific definition of nut, okay? I will not be listening to anyone who feels the need to start a sentence with any phrase approaching, “well, you know, such and such isn't a real nut,” and then goes on to tell me why. Most of us don't really care, alright? Get a life or a lover, or both. And get over it. You have been warned...

So, why nuts? Well, I eat a lot of them and I know they're supposed to be good for me, but I've never really looked into why. It's only been since I suffered a bout of ill health, possibly relating to my diet, that I began scrutinising the foods I eat. Nuts have been one of the things I've been looking at, and I thought I'd share the results of my investigations with you. I'm good like that. If you lose the will to live during these revelations, feel free to leave the classroom- I won't be offended.

I'm not going to go through all the nuts available, just the ones I tend to use- almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and walnuts.

So, why are nuts good for me, I hear you ask. Because they have lots of superduper properties. For example, many can help to fight inflamatory diseases, lower cholesterol and keep joints supple. Nuts have some of the highest antioxidant levels of all foods, antioxidants being vital for fighting inflamation and the cell and tissue damage caused by free radicals. Rich in fibre, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, nuts can lower cholesterol and improve blood vessel function, as well as muscle and joint function.

Although a healthy snack by themselves, they will become detrimental to your diet if eaten with sugar or salt (which means no salted or dry-roasted peanuts, cashews or almonds. Sorry. You can't cheat your way healthy). Also, remember that nuts are high in fat and calories, so over doing eating them is not going to help your cause. Eat in moderation and the mix of omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fibre will help keep you feeling full.

Almonds

I haven't cooked with almonds and tend to eat them raw, with their skins on- apparently the best way.

Almonds work out at about 160 calories per ounce (28g)- twenty-three nuts will give you around 6g of protein and 14g of fat. That portion will also give you a useful amount of zinc, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E and colesterol lowering monosaturated fatty acids. Their high fibre regulates blood sugar levels (and, no doubt, regulates you).

Almonds are at their best eaten raw, with the skins on if possible (the skin contains flavinoids, which help double the vitamin E's antioxidant power). Almonds also contain iron, calcium, manganese and phosphorus.

NB Consumption of bitter almonds is not a good idea. Raw ones can kill you, so don't be tempted to pick from a tree unless you are certain they're sweet almonds.

Cashew nuts

These are surely one of the most versitile of nuts when it comes to cooking. They can be eaten raw or thrown into a stir fry with some soy sauce to give it that sweet and savory crunch, or put in a food processor with some water to make anut cream that thickens when heated.They are good sources of monosaturated oleic acid and omega-3 linolenic acid, healthy fats that protect against heart disease and cancer. Cashews contain the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, as well as folate (an important B-complex vitamin that helps prevent megalobastic anaemia and neural-tube defects in babies, and enables the body to maintain bone health and form collagen).         

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts, along with walnuts, are my first choice in making a nut roast. Yes, I still make nut roast, and make it up as I go along, depending on what ingredients I have, so nut roast in our house is always a bit of an adventure.

Hazelnuts also boast rich dietary fibre, monounsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids and folate. They are a good source of vitamins E and K, and the B vitamins biotin (which promotes healthy skin and hair), riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothentic acid and pyridoxine.

Mineral wise, hazelnuts can boast useful amounts of manganese, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.

Eaten with their skins on, hazelnuts contain three times as much of the antioxidant proanthocyanidin (which helps prevent free radical damage to organs and cells) as other nuts.

Walnuts

Yes, walnuts. I always tell my kids that they're rabbit or mouse brains when I'm eating them in stir fries (the nuts, not the children). That and telling them the rice is fried maggots, I'm surprised they ever come back .

Like most nuts, walnuts are a rich source of energy and monosaturated fatty acids, helping to lower cholesterol in the blood. They are a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids (eating just 25g of walnuts every day will give you about 90% of your daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids). These fatty acids are thought to contribute to lowering blood pressure, cutting down coronary

disease and stroke risk, and offering protection from breast, colon and prostate cancer, aging and neurological diseases, AND maintaining skin and tissue health. In addition, walnuts contain seretonin, a brain chemical that can help lift depression.

As with other nuts, they are a good source of vitamin E and many important B-complex groups, including riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, and folates. They contain useful amounts of manganese, copper, potassium, iron, magnesiun, zinc and selenium.

Well, I think that makes a point. NUTS ARE GOOD FOR YOU. And stop smirking at the back of the class. They should be an essential kitchen cupboard ingredient, and a food in their own right. If you're finding you're snacking on rubbish, replace it with a few bags of nuts (no, not the salted peanuts. Put them down. What did I say earlier? You really weren't paying attention, were you? Yes, those ones, the raw ones. Well done). And don't forget to add them to stir fries and stews. With some mushrooms. And spinach. And some very ripe cherry tomatoes. And maybe some soy sauce, if you're allowed it. Yum. And if you're really good, I'll tell you all about edible seeds next time I see you. But only if you're good. I'll be watching you...

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