Best nuts for dieting? :P

xsophiedollx
xsophiedollx Posts: 11
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I have some questions about nuts! (no pun intended ;)
When I did my shopping this morning I really fancied some nuts to snack on in work. I know the sensible thing is to get unsalted, etc, but the nuts have lots of calories in, I was just wondering if the nuts have good calories or is it best generally to avoid them?

I was looking at a big bag of cashew nuts that looked sooo good, but I really don't know which nuts are best? Can anyone give me any advice?

Thank you! ♥

Replies

  • Pidders89
    Pidders89 Posts: 1,169 Member
    bump! ive always wondered this too!
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
    I like blue diamond almonds with sea salt.
  • mariec25
    mariec25 Posts: 47
    I have always wondered about this also, I have wanted to try them but I never known which are best so I have tended to avoid to be on the side. Any tips would be great, thanks for asking this question!
  • lottywood
    lottywood Posts: 55 Member
    Brazil nuts are a really good type of nut to eat while dieting. They are very good for your health. I was told to eat 3 a day during the morning. :)
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
    They're pretty much all calorific, but almonds and walnuts are best
  • rosaidamiddleton
    rosaidamiddleton Posts: 106 Member
    Some people say almonds are good, I like cashews better (no more than 15 nuts per snack). If you like pistachios then from 15 to 30 nuts per snack.
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
    They are good for you, in reasonable quantities. They have quite a bit of protein and fats that your body needs.

    The difficult thing is sticking to serving sizes. I usually eat 10 almonds or 15 hazelnuts a day.
  • LisaLove240786
    LisaLove240786 Posts: 22 Member
    Im pretty sure i read somewhere it was almonds.... Id be very interested to know if this is right

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  • anu_6986
    anu_6986 Posts: 702 Member
    Almonds! Many people snack on Almonds... Walnuts are good for you too, but have a lot of fat...
    I generally tend to avoid cashews.
  • speednut
    speednut Posts: 82
    I have been eating the 100 calorie packs of Emerald almonds. They have plain, dry roasted, cocoa and cinnamon. :happy:
  • MissObstinatiox
    MissObstinatiox Posts: 275 Member
    Nuts are generally high in calories :0( Which is really bad as i love nuts Lol.
    Think as with everything a small amount is fine,i normally have a small handful of nuts. Lol Omg my mind is that of a 12 year old everytime im putting nuts im laughing :0) I So need to grow up Nah thats far to boring :0)
    Anyway a handful of almonds or simular nuts are around 160 calories a handful x
  • rachypompa
    rachypompa Posts: 653 Member
    Nuts are really good for you, but it's very easy to eat LOTS of calories! I weigh myself out a little container and take them to work with me to munch on.

    Off the top of my head almonds (calcium?), walnuts (can't remember!?) and brazil (selenium) nuts have 'proven health benefits', but all nuts are good in my opinion! Yeah, buy that bag on nuts!
  • harriet_tubman
    harriet_tubman Posts: 52
    cashews aren't as good for you as almonds or pistachios... barely any fiber in them
  • Charrah
    Charrah Posts: 60
    I allow myself a few nuts per week, I think they ward off other temptations and they have a lot of health benefits, albeit high cal and high fat.
    The best I think are almonds, brazil nuts (3 a day is beneficial) and soya nuts. All of which unsalted of course.

    Hope this helps.
  • Missmaggieann
    Missmaggieann Posts: 68 Member
    Planters has a south beach diet recommended blend which has almonds, cashews and machadamia nuts. You can buy it in the can or in single serve packets. I love the packets because its portion control, they are 200 calories a pack.
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
    I have a mixed selection every day, plus seeds (which are also good BTW) in my own muesli. Nom nom nom
  • mikethom
    mikethom Posts: 183 Member
    I really like pistacho nuts (25 ~= 170 cals), I take my time and eat them one at a time, the shells slow me down which helps, in fact I would say that any shelled nut is better because it will force you to pace yourself...
  • mike20603
    mike20603 Posts: 32 Member
    Nuts are (or at least seem to be) high in calories, and have some fat content that seems to drive up your MFP fat numbers in a sneaky way, but...

    My theory on nuts is that no one ever got fat or unhealthy on nuts. Its the beer and soda washing them down that tends to get you. Drink water.

    I prefer unsalted roasted almonds...for me, they help me to:

    1. Snack (which I LOVE to do) on something tasty, filling, and healthy

    2. Fill in some calories when I've worked out and need to fill in exercise calories

    3. Fill in protein gaps when I've had too many salads

    I like to mix them with dried cranberries and/or golden raisins, for texture and sweetness...but be aware of the calories in both.

    Overall, they are my go-to snack food...and have been my defacto replacement for chips, M&Ms, cookies, and ice cream for almost a year now. On my food diary, they show up as item number two (behind coffee) as my most-used food.
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    I usually snack on mixed nuts. To avoid going over serving size, I take 13 nuts out of the box, put the bow away, then eat the nuts! ;-)
  • melanie3103
    melanie3103 Posts: 246 Member
    Yeah - if you are anything like me, don't be tempted to take the packet with you !!!! It's very easy to just munch your way through a bag (especially sat at a desk all day!!)..... weigh out what you want and leave the rest at home.

    You could try seeds - better than nuts, and you seem to get 'more for your money' so to speak. You get a better handful for the same cals.

    I am giving GRAZE a try next week, can't wait... www.graze.com - worth a look for some ideas at least ???

    Mel x
  • xsophiedollx
    xsophiedollx Posts: 11
    Thanks everybody :) some great answers here!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Nuts are extremely healthy, but very high calorie. As to which is "best" that's debatable. Here is a link and snipet from an article about nuts and dieting on webmd.

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/go-nuts-your-diet

    Several studies over the past several years have shown the health benefits of nuts -- which contain monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, copper, protein, and fiber, and are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals.

    They are a powerhouse of good nutrition that can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease. They've also been shown to play an important role in helping to lower "bad" cholesterol levels and raise "good" cholesterol levels. In addition, they can help dilate blood vessels and prevent hardening of the arteries.

    In the Nurses Health Study, which followed 86,016 nurses for 14 years, found those who ate 5 ounces or more of nuts per week reduced their risk of dying from heart disease by 35%. The researchers also noted that the nut-eaters tended to weigh less than the nurses who did not eat nuts.
    How Calories in Nuts Add Up
    A small handful of nuts is about 1 ounce. Here's how many calories that will add up to for various types of nuts:

    Dry roasted peanuts, regular (30 nuts) 170
    Dry roasted peanuts, unsalted (30 nuts) 160
    Cocktail peanuts (30 nuts) 170
    Honey-roasted peanuts (30) 150
    Almonds (24) 160
    Brazil nuts (7) 170
    Cashews (20) 170
    Walnuts (14) 180
    Pistachios, shelled (47) 170
    Pecans (20 halves) 190
    Macadamia nuts (11) 200

    Eating as little as one ounce of nuts per day can provide you with all the health benefits. So do it, go nuts!
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