Nuts are a healthy form of nutrition and have incredible health benefits. These tiny little nutrient packed foods are rich sources of protein, healthy fats, fibres, vitamins as well as minerals. A study suggests that nuts can prevent cardiovascular diseases.
The study stated, “Nut intake has a cholesterol-lowering effect, even in the context of healthy diets, and there is emerging evidence of beneficial effects on oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular reactivity. Blood pressure, visceral adiposity and the metabolic syndrome also appear to be positively influenced by nut consumption. Thus it is clear that nuts have a beneficial impact on many cardiovascular risk factors.” But do you know what is the right way to eat these nuts?
Right Way Of Eating Nuts
OnlyMyHealth team interacted with Dr Varun Katyal, Nutritionist & Wellness Expert explained the correct way of consuming nuts.
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1. Soaking
Dr Katyal said, “Soaking or sprouting the nuts before eating can be very beneficial. One way of doing it is by putting nuts in a jar full of water overnight (or at least a couple of hours), rinsing them in the morning and letting them dry out again. This process improves the digestibility of nuts to a large extent and reduces the amount of anti-nutrients. It’s best to consume these activated nuts soon as they become susceptible to oxidation just like roasted nuts.”
2. Roasting
Roasted nuts taste yummier than in their natural form. But are roasted nuts healthy to consume? “Roasting makes nuts tastier but it can also oxidise the fats they contain however it depends a lot on the temperature of roasting. Dry roasting of nuts is definitely much better than roasting in oils. If one wants to avoid rancid fats in general, one should opt for raw nuts that are stored whole, in a cold and dark place,” Dr Katyal said adding, “Roasted and salted nuts can be a problem at times and because they taste very good and most people find it difficult to eat them in moderation.”
Calorie Count Of Nuts
According to Harvard School of Public Health, a one-ounce portion of nuts is roughly a quarter-cup. For almonds, that's about 18 to 22 individual nuts, packing 168 calories. Nuts are low in saturated fat, so consuming them instead of animal protein sources can help to lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol. They contribute fibre, potassium, and calcium to your diet.
Talking about pistachios, Dr Katyal said, “American Pistachios have lower fat and calorie content when compared to other nuts. They are one of the lowest calorie nuts with only 160 calories in a single ounce (28g), which is the equivalent of about 49 nuts. Researchers have discovered that eating as much as 20% of calories from pistachios may not lead to weight gain, however it may provide the added benefit of improving blood pressure, among other perks. Pistachios can be consumed as an incredibly good guilt free snack. They can be consumed as a recovery snack after exercise. They can also be used as an ingredient in a dish or as a garnish.”