It is well documented that nuts are very healthy for the body. I agree — they have a good balance of protein, healthy fats and some carbohydrates. Some time ago, I attended a lecture by Arthur Agatston, M.D., author of the original South Beach diet books. A woman attending the lecture told Dr. Agatston that she had initially lost weight on the program but was now gaining it back. Dr. Agatston’s response was, “Too many nuts.”
When discussing edible nuts, I am referring to the kind contained in a shell and that grows on trees. Peanuts are not nuts. They come from the roots of a bush, and the sugar becomes stored into the roots. Walnuts, cashews, filberts, Brazil nuts and pistachios are all real nuts.
Years ago, nuts were mostly sold in the shell, and eating just one required some work. The hard shell had to be broken in order to dig out the meat. They could only be consumed one at a time. Today, there are so many options available including shelled, salted or roasted. This is where the problem lies. Excess salt is not healthy. Bars are known to offer free salted, roasted nuts. The object is to sell more alcohol. Ingesting salt leads to craving more of it and also initiates thirst. Eat more nuts, drink more beer.
Just a handful of nuts contains a lot of calories. If they have been roasted, the oils could have also burned, making it more likely to stimulate cancer growth. Excess salt also leads to high blood pressure. If you need a snack, eat four to six nuts, unroasted and unsalted. For an extra treat, mix them with a date or a fig — the combination is really delicious. STOP THERE. After ten minutes, if you are still hungry, eat a few more.
Tips: Don’t drive with a bag of nuts in the car or keep a bag of nuts by your side while reading or watching TV. Without realizing it, you can quickly pack in a lot of calories.
Eating nuts are healthy, but only in moderation.
When discussing edible nuts, I am referring to the kind contained in a shell and that grows on trees. Peanuts are not nuts. They come from the roots of a bush, and the sugar becomes stored into the roots. Walnuts, cashews, filberts, Brazil nuts and pistachios are all real nuts.
Years ago, nuts were mostly sold in the shell, and eating just one required some work. The hard shell had to be broken in order to dig out the meat. They could only be consumed one at a time. Today, there are so many options available including shelled, salted or roasted. This is where the problem lies. Excess salt is not healthy. Bars are known to offer free salted, roasted nuts. The object is to sell more alcohol. Ingesting salt leads to craving more of it and also initiates thirst. Eat more nuts, drink more beer.
Just a handful of nuts contains a lot of calories. If they have been roasted, the oils could have also burned, making it more likely to stimulate cancer growth. Excess salt also leads to high blood pressure. If you need a snack, eat four to six nuts, unroasted and unsalted. For an extra treat, mix them with a date or a fig — the combination is really delicious. STOP THERE. After ten minutes, if you are still hungry, eat a few more.
Tips: Don’t drive with a bag of nuts in the car or keep a bag of nuts by your side while reading or watching TV. Without realizing it, you can quickly pack in a lot of calories.
Eating nuts are healthy, but only in moderation.
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