As a health-conscious eater, nuts have been an important part of my diet for years. But no matter how inspired you get to sprinkle more nuts into your food life, note that current advice recommends a handful, not a full can. Nuts are high in fat content, so they’re also high in calories. Eating nuts requires a balance- of healthy versus calories.
Eating nuts for health
Nuts are not created equal, and while they all offer nutritional benefits, different nuts have different benefits. Some are higher in calories and saturated fat. Some offer a more complete package with high protein, high omega-3s, and high vitamins and minerals.
Different types of nuts
According to the U.S. Forestry Service, nuts are defined as a “dry single-seeded fruit that has a high oil content. They are usually enclosed in a leathery or solid outer layer.“ Botanists define nuts as a composite of seed and dry fruit found inside of a hard outer shell. Even though peanuts are one of the most common nuts eaten (did you know they aren’t even a nut!), there are over fifty variety of nuts- so we are focusing on eight of the most common or popular nuts.
So, here’s our short list of nuts and how they compare. The nutritional information is based on a one-ounce serving of each nut.
Almonds benefits
Almonds are an excellent source of protein, packing in 6 g per serving. This can be as much as 15% of your daily protein intake, depending on your needs. Almonds also contain vitamin E, which is important for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. Vitamin E also helps to protect your cell membranes from damage, help you lose weight, and lower your blood pressure when combined with a healthy diet. Almonds are considered the most nutritionally dense nuts, meaning they offer the most overall nutrients per ounce.
- Calories = 164
- Fat = 14g (9 of which are monounsaturated fat, the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil).
- Fiber = 3.54g
- Protein = 6 g
- Vitamin E = 7.3 mg
- Manganese = 0.6 g
- Folate = 12.5 mg
- Magnesium = 76.5 mg
- Calcium = 76.3 mg (7% of the RDA)
- Iron = 1.05 mg (6% of the RDA)
Almonds can be eaten raw in salads or added to smoothies for a nutty flavor. It can also be made into a paste and used as almond butter.
Are cashews nuts healthy?
Cashews are the third most-consumed tree nut in the United States. They are abundant in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk (3).
Compared to other nuts, cashews are slightly lower in calories while still providing 5 grams of protein per serving. They are also considered an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that helps build proteins and overall energy. Cashews are packed with phosphorous, another essential mineral for building strong bones and teeth. With a small amount of iron, cashews help keep your skin, hair, and nails healthy.
- Calories = 157
- Fat = 12.4g (2g sat)
- Fiber = 1g
- Protein = 5g
- Vitamin E = 0.3 mg
- Manganese = 0.48 g
- Phosphorus = 168 mg
- Folate = 7 mg
- Magnesium = 82.8 mg
- Calcium = 10.5 mg
- Iron = 1.9 mg
Like almonds, cashews can be eaten raw or in salads. You can also make cashew milk.
Macadamia Nuts
One of our favorite nuts is macadamia. You can find them in chocolate, cookies, and even in dressings and sauces in Hawaii. They have a buttery flavor that just adds richness to any dishes and desserts, and that’s not surprising, considering macadamia nuts contain 21g of fat per ounce. They are one of the fattiest nuts with high calories and, sadly, lower protein content. With that said, these tropical nuts are a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, including fiber, vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, and folate. They also contain antioxidants like polyphenols and monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. They are delicious but eat sparingly!
- Calories = 204
- Fat = 21.5g
- Fiber = 2.44g
- Protein = 2g
- Vitamin E = 0.2 mg
- Manganese = 0.2 g
- Folate = 3.1 mg
- Magnesium = 36.9 mg
- Calcium = 24.1 mg
- Iron = 1.05 mg
Hazelnuts Benefits
Hazelnuts are fiber-rich nuts with a decent amount of protein with less than 200 calories per serving. They are a good source of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals are known to help regulate healthy blood pressure (4). They also contain B vitamins, which are important for proper cell and energy metabolism.
- Calories = 178
- Fat = 17.2g (13g are monounsaturated fat– the good kind)
- Fiber = 3g
- Protein = 4.25 g
- Vitamin E = 4. 2 mg
- Manganese = 1.75 g
- Folate = 32 mg
- Magnesium = 46 mg
- Calcium = 32 mg
- Iron = 1.3 mg
Keep in mind that many of the healthy advantages of eating hazelnuts can be canceled out if they’re coated in unhealthy dips and seasonings. If you’re looking to eat hazelnuts for their health benefits, steer clear of chocolate-covered or salted hazelnuts and eat them as close as possible to the way they came off the tree.
Peanuts
Peanuts are a good source of dietary fiber, protein, and potassium, which help regulate the body’s water levels and metabolism. They are one of the highest-protein nuts with a moderate calorie count. Luckily, adding peanuts to your diet is easy with a wide variety of peanut products on the market, from peanut butter to peanut sauces. Be aware of how much-added sugar and sodium your choice of peanut product contains. It’s best to eat peanuts as is.
- Calories = 161
- Fat = 14g (2g sat)
- Fiber = 2.4g
- Protein = 8g
- Vitamin E = 2.36 mg
- Manganese = 0.5 g
- Folate = 68 mg
- Magnesium = 47.6 mg
- Calcium = 26 mg
- Iron = 1.3 mg
Raw peanuts have less total carbohydrate but more fiber than peanut butter. For this reason, raw peanuts have a slight edge over peanut butter.
Pistachios
Pistachios are one of the healthiest nuts among all nuts with a good amount of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and magnesium. Not surprisingly, they are my go-to nut snacks. With many other nuts, one ounce per serving only comes to be about 20 or fewer kernels, but with pistachios, it’s about 49!
Pistachios contain the highest levels of antioxidants, along with other heart-friendly nutrients, such as potassium and magnesium. It doesn’t stop there. Pistachios also lower systolic blood pressure. People who consume them have fewer risks for metabolic syndrome, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (5).
- Calories = 159
- Fat = 12.8g (2g sat)
- Fiber = 3g
- Protein = 5.73g
- Vitamin E = 0.8 mg
- Manganese = 0.3 g
- Folate = 14.5 mg
- Magnesium = 34.3 mg
- Calcium = 29.8 mg
- Iron = 1.3 mg
Interestingly, eating pistachios is not linked to significant weight gain despite their high-calorie content. It appears that when pistachios are added to their diet, people are less hungry and naturally decrease their intake of other calories (6).
Are pecans good for you?
Since pecans only provide 2 g of protein per serving, it may not be very efficient to load up on pecan nuts for the sake of protein. But these holiday staple nuts provide many other reasons to have a serving here and there, packing in more than 19 different vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B, and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and fiber. Just one ounce or about 8 pecans will provide about 11 % of the daily recommended fiber intake (7), which is crucial since most Americans are fiber deficient.
- Calories = 196
- Fat = 20.4g (9g sat)
- Fiber = 2.7g
- Protein = 2.6g
- Vitamin E = 0.4 mg
- Manganese = 1.28 g
- Folate = 6.2 mg
- Magnesium = 34.3 mg
- Calcium = 19.8 mg
- Iron = 0.7 mg
Because pecans have high-fat content like avocados and olive oil, they promote stable heart health through unsaturated fats, decreasing the risk of heart disease.
Are walnuts healthy?
Walnuts are known as a heart-healthy food because of their high monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease. Omega-3s can also help prevent arthritis and depression. Also, if you are short on manganese, which helps with calcium absorption and bone metabolism, walnuts make an excellent source, offering 1g per serving, which accounts for 48% of your recommended daily intake.
- Calories = 185
- Fat = 18.5g (2g sat)
- Fiber = 2g
- Protein = 4.3g
- Vitamin E = 0.2 mg
- Manganese = 1.0 g
- Folate = 27.8 mg
- Magnesium = 44.8 mg
- Calcium = 27.8 mg
- Iron = 0.8 mg
More than 99% of the walnuts in the U.S. are grown in the fertile soils of California’s Central Valley. Internationally, California walnuts supply two-thirds of the world’s walnut trade (8).
Final Thoughts
Nuts, in general, are considered healthy and nutritious, containing many essential nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin E. However, within nuts, there is a great variance in how much of each nutrient each nut contains.
Nuts like almonds, peanuts, cashews, and pistachios are always on top of my list. They are moderate in calories and exceptionally high in protein—6g per serving! That’s three times more protein than the protein found in macadamia nuts or pecans.
But let’s not forget that we are also after unsaturated fats in nuts, which are actually good for us in moderation, as well as other vitamins like vitamin E, manganese, folate, and calcium. Be sure to check each nut’s nutrition profile and make your selection wisely.
References:
(1) Nut Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
(2) How much protein do you need every day?
(5) Pistachios: Little Nuts Loaded With Calcium and Vitamin K
(6) Pistachio nuts: composition and potential health benefits
(8) About Walnuts
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