Nuts..are they REALLY good for you???

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bluefox9er
bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone, I am a vegetarian and curious to see what people's take on Nuts is..

As a veggie, they are a huge source of protein for me, but I am really alarmed at their incredibly high fat and calorific content..

are they good for me, should I be incorporating them as part of my diet, knowing that even a teeny portion of nuts would demolish my calorie allowance ??

Also, what about alternatives to nuts?

I do LOVE nuts, and moved from the bad old days of salted , roasted nuts to the plain variety now.

thanks!
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Replies

  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    High calorie and high fat doesn't mean unhealthy. Nuts are a source of omega-3 fats, which are good for you. The assumption that fats are bad is erroneous, fat (or lipid) is essential for all living cells to function.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    They are good for you. They have protein and good natural fats. However, as you noted, high in calories due to the fat. Because of the high fat content they are pretty hard to make your primary protein source.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I get 100 calorie packs of natural almonds (Emerald). Otherwise I can NOT control my portions on nuts. I'd eat the whole bag!
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    They're good in controlled doses. The only thing is they're easy to overeat. I tend to buy raw almonds/other nuts as opposed to the roasted versions because it makes me less likely to eat a bunch of them.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    Jorra is absolutely right, I eat raw nuts as a regular part of my diet. Whole raw almonds and walnuts are my preferred, you just can't eat lots of them at a time. Include them in your plan.
  • Jenlynphi
    Jenlynphi Posts: 183 Member
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    Nuts are high in fat but it's a good kind of fat for you. :)
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
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    I love eating nuts. I even make my own nut butter sometimes at home. It's delicious and packed with protein.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    Our bodies and brains NEED fat so getting it in healthy ways is important, nuts (especially in the raw) are part of that. Almonds are especially good for you.
  • waterjogger
    waterjogger Posts: 114
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    I eat nuts quite often as a snack. (Usually 1 or 2 ounces) I have diabetes so they are a good snack for me to eat. On days when I haven't eaten much they give me a good calorie boost. The nutritionist told me they would be good. Almonds, and Pistachios aren't as bad as cashews or peanuts but they are all still good.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    High Fat and High Calories does NOT necessarily equal BAD. I know most of us grew up hearing that fat makes us fat, but that's not true. It's the amount of calories we eat that make us fat. Some fat is essential, and nuts are a great source of healthy fats. As long as you are fitting the nuts into your daily calorie goals, then you should be fine, assuming you're eating a fairly balanced diet overall (so you're not eating *only* nuts or something like that). I know some of what I eat is higher calorie (like peanut butter), so I work to balance it out with lots of veggies and lower calorie foods. I aim to keep most my meals between 300-400 calories with several snacks throughout the day. As long as my protein is high enough and I'm eating high-quality, relatively clean foods, and I stick to a reasonable number of calories, then I'm happy.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    I get 100 calorie packs of natural almonds (Emerald). Otherwise I can NOT control my portions on nuts. I'd eat the whole bag!

    Yeah, I'm like that too. "What...I just ate 400 calories in nuts? WTF?".

    Now I just eat nuts to fill in calories at the end of the day if I'm too low or if I need some extra fats.
  • Leanne60
    Leanne60 Posts: 21
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    Roasted Soy Nuts are really yummy, good protein and less calories too

    check them out - http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-friedas-soy-nuts-roasted-salted-i95655
  • Leanne60
    Leanne60 Posts: 21
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    and this is good info too http://www.herbalvitality.info/aw/HPLCCrosatedsoybeans.htm
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
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    I love eating nuts. I even make my own nut butter sometimes at home. It's delicious and packed with protein.

    This. Nuts and nut butters taste amazing and are really good for you!
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    I love eating nuts. I even make my own nut butter sometimes at home. It's delicious and packed with protein.

    I see what you did there.
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
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    I love eating nuts. I even make my own nut butter sometimes at home. It's delicious and packed with protein.

    I see what you did there.

    You've watched me make nut butter?
  • vulrich93
    vulrich93 Posts: 99
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    Just the topic I was waiting for!
    Nuts ARE good for you. Although they are high in fat, it's the GOOD fat that's in them. I think I found a study showing people who incorporated nuts lost more weight than those who didn't. Because they are of such high calorie, 1 serving of nuts is best. (1/4 cup)
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
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    since you already got some serious replies...i just had to say....i giggled a little bit when i read this title...:laugh:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,579 Member
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    Almonds are my fav. To me the biggest benefit is that it "cleans" your colon as is goes through.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
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    Almonds are my fav. To me the biggest benefit is that it "cleans" your colon as is goes through.

    Do the nut butters do this too or is it only when you consume the whole nuts?

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