Do you like peanut butter or any other nut butters? Personally,
almond butter is one of my favourites! I often add it to my breakfast when I'm
not eating eggs or any other protein rich substance.
Apparently today is national peanut butter day! I didn't
even know there was such a thing, but I thought this would be a good
opportunity to discuss nuts and how they fit into a healthy diet.
Did you know that peanuts are not technically a nut? They're
a legume. Peanuts have the highest amount of protein and are great for a rushed
pre-workout snack. Just pop a teaspoon in your mouth before heading to the gym
and it'll keep you going!
Although highly caloric, nuts have some great things to offer.
In fact, they are chalk full of nutrients like protein, fibre, antioxidants,
healthy fats, and plant sterols (a substance that helps to lower bad
cholesterol). Generally, nuts are about 10%
protein, 15% carbohydrate, and 75% fat.
In terms of nut types and what is best, there's no such
thing as a "best" nut because every nut offers a different mix of
nutrients. Variety is key if you want to benefit fully from the wide assortment
of nuts.
Brazil nuts have the highest amount of fat, but they are
also very high in antioxidants like selenium. In fact, brazil nuts are the
highest natural source of selenium. Almonds
are highest in fibre and a rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium,
calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. English walnuts are great for omega-3 fats.
In fact, eating about 25g provides apx 90% of the recommended daily intake of omega-3's!
I could go on, but it would take way too long to discuss the details of every
single nut.
The trick is to "sprinkle" them into your diet so
that you get the benefits without an overload of calories. A small handful a day is plenty (apx.
1-1.5 ounces). If you're not really a
nut person, but you enjoy nut butters, then a couple tablespoons will suffice.
Image Source: thefatlossauthority, pearsgourmet, health.usnews
I love munching on nuts, good to know they are good for you as well! I guess I just have to watch how many of them I have...
ReplyDeleteYes definitely. I would recommend grabbing a small handful and putting it in a bowl.
DeleteI love nuts this was so educational thank you! I did hear if you eat too many you get zits? Do you know if that's true or is it just a myth? Keep up the good work, your blog looks great!
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that's a myth. Unless you have some sort of allergy to nuts, they will not give you zits. Blemishes can be a result of diet, but more so, overall diet rather than just one food item. Also, changing your diet to eat healthier foods will result in clearer skin!
DeleteYes your website does look great! So colourful! I didn't realize that peanuts were a legume - I'll have to try to incorporate some nuts into my diet! thx for the interesting and helpful info.
ReplyDeleteThank you, glad I could help!
DeleteDidn't realize that peanuts were a legume! I'll have to try to incorporate some nuts into my diet! Your blog is helpful as it gives me easy to understand information. Colourful too!
ReplyDelete