In a nutshell
Nuts are among our earliest foods. In ancient times they were a staple,
not a snack.
Aren't they 'fattening'?
1 ounce of nuts averages 180 calories and 17 grams of fat. But wait!
Fifty to 80 percent of that fat is good monounsaturated fat, the same
kind in olive oil. Mono fats help lower bad LDL cholesterol and blood
pressure, and protect arteries from clogging. Bad saturated fat, the potential
artery-clogger, accounts for only 11 percent (or about 2 grams per 1-ounce
serving). Nuts provide protein and fiber and, like other non-animal foods,
have no cholesterol.
How much is enough?
1 ounce a day is plenty for therapeutic purposes and shouldn't add pounds.
In general, 1 ounce:= 1 handful= 1/4 cup halves = 3 Tbs. chopped
WHY NUTS ARE GOOD FOR YOU
- Heart Help. Regular nut eaters (a handful five times a week)
had about half the heart disease of people rarely eating nuts, according
to research at Loma Linda University. One reason: Nuts can improve your
cholesterol. In a recent study, substituting 3 ounces of walnuts a day
for other fatty foods (such as meat, potato chips, butter and margarine)
slashed bad type LDL cholesterol 16 percent within a month. Note: You
don't have to eat 3 ounces a day; that could add unwanted pounds. Just
1 ounce daily in place of other fatty food cuts your risk of heart disease
from 8 to 10 percent, says a recent study by Loma Linda's Joan Sabate.
Almonds did about the same in other research. Similar nuts rich in mono
fats also should work, experts say.
- The Mediterranean Example. Nuts are a prominent part of the
Mediterranean diet, which some Harvard researchers favor over the American
low-fat (less than 30 percent fat calories) diet. A recent French study
found that eating a Mediterranean diet (low in meat; high in fruit, vegetables,
legumes, grain, cereal and mono fats) after a heart attack was 70 percent
more lifesaving than a typical low-fat diet.
- Nutrient Advantage. Nuts are high in magnesium, potassium, folic
acid and calcium, and are among the few good dietary sources of anti-aging
vitamin E. Specific nuts have special health attractions.
Brazil nuts, a holiday favorite, are the food richest in selenium, a
potent antioxidant linked to low rates of cancer and heart disease. If
you ate only one Brazil nut a day, you would never be deficient in selenium,
says Donald J. Lisk, at Cornell University. Gobbling more than a half-dozen
Brazil nuts every day could add up to nausea-causing selenium toxicity,
he cautions.
English walnuts are a supersource of omega-3 fatty acid, which is considered
the main lifesaving agent in fish. Walnuts have five times more omega-3
than any other nut. Very few plant foods have any at all. Walnuts also
are high in antioxidant anti-cancer ellagic acid.
Almonds have the most nutrients per calorie; they are packed with calcium,
vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, riboflavin and the most fiber
of any nut - 3 grams per ounce. Almonds are exceptionally high in vitamin
E, which helps thwart artery clogging, boosts immunity and may help prevent
cancer.
TO GET THE MOST BENEFIT
- At the Supermarket. In-shell nuts should be free of cracks or
holes. Shake the nuts. If the nutmeat rattles, it's old and shriveled.
Taste bulk nuts before buying to be sure they are not stale. Raw nuts
have slightly less fat because they have not been roasted (cooked in oil).
Skip the salted nuts. Per ounce, salted nuts have 220mg of sodium compared
with 3mg for unsalted.
- In the Kitchen. Nuts, being high in fat, can turn rancid. To
preserve freshness, store in-shell nuts in a cool, dry place, where they
should keep up to a year. To be safe, refrigerate shelled nuts in a sealed
plastic bag or container. Freeze shelled nuts you plan to keep more than
a month.
Flavor freshness tip: Toasting brings out flavor and restores
crispness. Oven method: Toast shelled nuts on a baking sheet in a preheated
325-degree oven for 5 to 15 minutes (big nuts take longer) or until they
turn the desired color. Stir occasionally. Quick method: Microwave nuts
in a single layer 11/2 minutes at full power. Stir; let stand 1 minute.
Microwave another 11/2 minutes.
Nut-cracking tip: Shell hard-to-open Brazil nuts by first dropping
them in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and crack after they have
cooled.
2 snacking recipes
Quick & Spicy Holiday Nuts
1 egg white
2 Tbs. cold water
2/3 cup each, raw walnuts, pecans and almonds
1/2 cup sugar
11/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each, ginger and nutmeg
Beat egg white and water until frothy. Stir nuts into mixture to coat,
then drain slightly in a colander, 3-4 minutes. Mix sugar and spices in
a plastic bag. Add nuts and shake to coat. Spread wet nut mixture in a
single layer on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 11/2 minutes,
or until mixture is bubbly. Stir. Microwave another 11/2 minutes. Remove
from oven and stir to separate. Cool. Store in a sealed container. Makes
2 cups.
Per 1/4 cup: 235 calories, 4.7g protein, 18.5g carbohydrates, 2.2g fiber,
17.5g fat (1.6 saturated, 9 monounsaturated), 9.5mg sodium.
Brazil Nut Delights
20 pitted prunes
20 raw Brazil nuts
20 1-inch-long and 1/4-inch-wide slivers of lemon zest (outside peel
of 1 lemon)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Insert 1 piece zest and 1 nut in each prune. Blend sugar and cinnamon.
Roll prune in sugar. Serve as dessert or snack. Variation: Use any combination
of walnuts, almonds, dates, dried figs.
Per prune-nut: 56 calories, 0.9g protein, 7.3g carbohydrates, 1.2g fiber,
3.2g fat (0.8 saturated, 1.1 monounsaturated), 0.5mg sodium.
