Nuts Are A Rubbish Source Of Protein
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I counts nuts as a fat0
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I actually find nuts to sustain me for quite a while... but, if that's your opinion based on the fat content and calories, that's fine, however it doesn't change that they still have protein in them and they're not BAD for you. I agree that things such as lean chicken have more protein/less fat/less calories and will even concede that they're better if your goal is protein... But, as a personal preference I would rather get protein from things that naturally have it than to add protein powders and things of that nature. Maybe it's crazy and it might make no difference nutritionally but, I just feel like it's more "worthwhile" and wholesome or something.
^^^^^^^^^^This right here. Not only are nuts healthy, they are 10,00,000x better than the snack alternative many of us would choose. My weight loss got a great bump this year when someone recommended nuts to me. I don't even LIKE nuts, but I gave them a try. Before I'd need a snack to get me from 2pm to 5pm, and I'm looking for the candy bar. Know the big problem with a candy bar? It makes you want another candy bar. So I'd have 2 candy bars and if dinner wasn't hot, ready and in my face by 5-6pm I'd ravage the cabinets for more garbagey snacks.
Enter peanuts. Cheap, can sit right on the corner of my desk or in a drawer. No refrigeration or special packaging needed. No fork, spoon or plate needed. No microwave, water, or shaker cup that's gotta be washed later. One or two handfuls of nuts, and I don't even think about food for the next several hours.
Is lean chicken a better source of protein, why yes, it is, BUT has somebody been running around saying eat nuts instead of chicken breasts? Have I missed that meme?Interesting. I'd recommend eggs. Nuts are a better recommendation for people who need more fat and calories.
I'm gonna try to keep a carton of raw fresh eggs on my desk at work for a week. Let you know next Friday afternoon how it goes.0 -
edited just because0
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I'm sure it has been said, but nuts provide healthy unsaturated fats (omega-3's & omega-6's). It just so happens that they also have a fair amount of protein. The fats in foods are not in direct correlation to the kind of fat that your body stores. Without dietary fats, the body presumes that it is starving and releases the hormones grehlin and cortisol. Grehlin generates the appetite and causes the constant feeling of hunger. Cortisol is a stress hormone designed to make the body perform more efficiently. Cortisol can be caused by other things, but dietary deficiencies is a common cause. Now, you are correct that there are better sources of protein, but that doesn't mean that nuts don't serve their purpose.0
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It depends if your eating a balanced diet and need healthy fats. I tend to go with pumpkin seeds since they have a 1:1 ratio0
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I don't rely on nuts as a protein source but as a source of flavor and crunch in a healthy little package.0
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Sometimes you feel like a nut...0
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I eat nuts every day.
They stop me from eating the things I usually would go or at either 11am or 3pm. They are crunchy and just enough to stop me munching.
They are also a good way for me to value portion sizes.
I'd rather those with all the stuff they come with than a packet of chips or something of the like.
Don't you poo poo on my nuts!0 -
Except for the part where the fat from nuts is healthy for you.
Except for the fiber that a serving of nuts provides.
Except where nuts are filling and prevent people like me from hitting the candy machine for a Twix bar some other such bad food. Except for the part where eating nuts has been shown to have a positive effect of cholesterol levels.
Except for the part where nuts have been shown to have a beneficial effect on heart health.
With those slight exceptions, I agree with every word of the OP.
^^^ this
And for the record ... almonds are not nuts. They are a seed.0 -
Except for the part where the fat from nuts is healthy for you.
Except for the fiber that a serving of nuts provides.
Except where nuts are filling and prevent people like me from hitting the candy machine for a Twix bar some other such bad food. Except for the part where eating nuts has been shown to have a positive effect of cholesterol levels.
Except for the part where nuts have been shown to have a beneficial effect on heart health.
With those slight exceptions, I agree with every word of the OP.
I never said nuts were unhealthy
I never said nuts didn't have fibre
You finding them filling is purely anecdotal
Again, so has omega 3 consumption, which most people lack
So your post kind of missed the point of my post, but other than that I agree with your every word
Satin that 'well it's better than eating a chocolate bar' sort of missed the point also. I am aware a nut is better than a mars bar, I'm not claiming otherwise.
Someone said that I didn't offer alternatives
Fats
Eggs
Salmon and fatty fish
Avocado
Coconut oil
Protein
Any lean meat lamb, chicken beef etc
Fish again
Eggs again
Protein powder
^^ I'm sure someone will call me out here for recommending a processed food over a whole food, however remember we are talking solely about sources of protein hereTo use a common example, whey is doubly processed in the sense that it’s not only a powdered form of milk protein, but it’s a separated fraction of milk protein. Yet, when combining the results of standard ranking methods (biological value, protein efficiency ratio, net protein utilization, and protein digestibility corrected amino acid score), whey has a higher total than all other proteins tested, including beef, egg, milk, and soy [5]. Furthermore, research has shown not only its benefits for training applications [6], but whey has a surprisingly wide range of potential for clinical applications as well [7-10]. Therefore, despite whey being a refined/processed food, it has multiple benefits and minimal downsides.
See article for references http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/0 -
This annoys me, I don't dispute there are better sources of protein. But i'm so fed up of this "Good food, bad food" stigma attached to foods.
Nuts have their place in a healthy balanced diet.
As with an awful lot of stuff you can have too much of a good thing. But come on, they have many plusses, so long as they're not maple covered, or salted, or whatever else.0 -
This annoys me, I don't dispute there are better sources of protein. But i'm so fed up of this "Good food, bad food" stigma attached to foods.
Nuts have their place in a healthy balanced diet.
As with an awful lot of stuff you can have too much of a good thing. But come on, they have many plusses, so long as they're not maple covered, or salted, or whatever else.
Right I will reiterate my point AGAIN as it seems people are struggling to understand
I am not saying nuts are BAD, nowhere I this thread have I said nuts are unhealthy, i am not telling everyone to stop eating nuts immediately. I do not hate nuts, I have no anti-nut agenda.
I am simply pointing out there are other sources of protein and fats available, which IMO could be more beneficial.0 -
This annoys me, I don't dispute there are better sources of protein. But i'm so fed up of this "Good food, bad food" stigma attached to foods.
Nuts have their place in a healthy balanced diet.
As with an awful lot of stuff you can have too much of a good thing. But come on, they have many plusses, so long as they're not maple covered, or salted, or whatever else.
Right I will reiterate my point AGAIN as it seems people are struggling to understand
I am not saying nuts are BAD, nowhere I this thread have I said nuts are unhealthy, i am not telling everyone to stop eating nuts immediately. I do not hate nuts, I have no anti-nut agenda.
I am simply pointing out there are other sources of protein and fats available, which IMO could be more beneficial.
ok I'll let you off :laugh:
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Intermittent fasting overlord Martin Berkhan agrees with me as well apparently, not that that adds any weight to my point in particular.Nuts, protein bars and dried fruit
Nuts in all their various forms are the most overrated and overhyped foods in the “health conscious” community. Just because it’s a natural food doesn’t mean it’s all that diet friendly or even healthy for that matter.
Packing a higher calorie density than chocolate, it’s no big mystery that people easily overdo it with nuts. Some people rationalize a high nut consumption by saying it’s a healthy and natural snack, but this is wrong. Nuts contain an incomplete amino acid profile and consist mostly of plant fats. The westernized diet is already highly unbalanced in the omega 3: omega 6-ratio—the polyunsaturated fats from nuts certainly won’t help.
Optimize the fat composition of your diet by kicking nuts to the curb and add more fish, that’s my recommendation. You’ll be more satiated and healthier to boot.
http://fitnessblackbook.com/diet-tips/martin-berkhan-scorch-through-your-fat-loss-plateau/
I always thought that nut protein had quite a good amino profile so I'm not sure about this, can anyone confirm?0 -
Intermittent fasting overlord Martin Berkhan agrees with me as well apparently, not that that adds any weight to my point in particular.Nuts, protein bars and dried fruit
Nuts in all their various forms are the most overrated and overhyped foods in the “health conscious” community. Just because it’s a natural food doesn’t mean it’s all that diet friendly or even healthy for that matter.
Packing a higher calorie density than chocolate, it’s no big mystery that people easily overdo it with nuts. Some people rationalize a high nut consumption by saying it’s a healthy and natural snack, but this is wrong. Nuts contain an incomplete amino acid profile and consist mostly of plant fats. The westernized diet is already highly unbalanced in the omega 3: omega 6-ratio—the polyunsaturated fats from nuts certainly won’t help.
Optimize the fat composition of your diet by kicking nuts to the curb and add more fish, that’s my recommendation. You’ll be more satiated and healthier to boot.
http://fitnessblackbook.com/diet-tips/martin-berkhan-scorch-through-your-fat-loss-plateau/
I always thought that nut protein had quite a good amino profile so I'm not sure about this, can anyone confirm?
The thing is, for weight LOSS I would whole heartedly agree there are far better ways of getting your nutrients, and if I was plateauing, I would be looking at things that might be obstacles in my weight loss. But the thing is, nuts have been given such bad press, people seem terrified to even consider them as part of a balanced diet. Of course, I'm coming from a vegan stand, so I'm not exactly going to go back to fish. tried that a few weeks ago, didn't like it. I'll take some cashews tossed in a salad over a piece of fsh (that's a fish with no eyes, sorry, it's been a rolling joke this week)0 -
I see a lot of people recommending nuts as a snack for people who want to bump up their protein intake. Imo this is a poor choice once you realise the volume of fat you need to consume to get a decent serving if protein out of them, and a poor choice for dieters generally.
For this I will consider 20 grams of protein a 'decent serving' of protein and take 2 typical nuts cashews and almonds.
Almonds
per 100g
Energy kCal 653
Protein 25.4g
Carbohydrate 26.5
Fat 55.8g
In order to get 20 grams of protein you would need to consume about 80g of almonds which comes with almost 50g of fat.
Cashews
100g
Energy kCal 637kCal
Protein 19.5g
Carbohydrate 26.5g
Fat 49.4g
same for cashews.
Considering most people here are on calorie restricted diets, such a calorie dense food really is not a good choice. A hand full of nuts, which is a tiny serving, could well be over 400 calories and will not keep you satisfied whatsoever.
But what about fats, they must be good for that right right?
Well, the majority of the fat in nuts are omega-6's which most people already get too many of compared to omega-3.So even as a fat source they are.....meh.
In summary, nuts = overrated.
NOPE- Wrong about this one....0 -
20g of protein would be what I'm looking for in main meals.
I try to get a little extra in my snacks - it's not my main source of protein, but if its 5-6 g then that's great, it all adds up during the day. Almonds are handy to carry around in my handbag - not sure that shrimp would be just as convenient. But yes I'll have the shrimp for dinner!0 -
I love nuts, and as a vegetarian, they are a helping hand when I care about protein (which I don't, right now). I find a snack of almonds very filling, I just tend not to eat them often because of the calories. But I do find them more filling than most. As for fat, I couldn't give a damn about it.0
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Specifically for protein, I completely agree. Too many nuts and nut butters can get you into trouble with concern to calories.
This.0 -
nuts are good for a snack for diabetics between meals. Only a handfull is needd to keep sugar levels in line.
So no they ARE NOT overrated.0 -
Yum... cupcakes... haha I kid. That's disgusting. LOL
I like nuts. I don't eat them for the protein or fats or anything else they have to offer other than nutty goodness (and it's not as bad as my old snack of choice... a hershey's bar... LOL).
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That's the problem buddy ... you put your opinion on an MFP board ... silly you
I understand your point completely, I've often thought about the same thing. I remember hearing how 5 almonds can settle my cravings ... really? Clearly I wasn't in the case study! lol ... pistachios are my favorite! Trader Joe's makes these thai chili-lime cashews that are awesome too!Right I will reiterate my point AGAIN as it seems people are struggling to understand
I am not saying nuts are BAD, nowhere I this thread have I said nuts are unhealthy, i am not telling everyone to stop eating nuts immediately. I do not hate nuts, I have no anti-nut agenda.
I am simply pointing out there are other sources of protein and fats available, which IMO could be more beneficial.0 -
Except for the part where the fat from nuts is healthy for you.
Except for the fiber that a serving of nuts provides.
Except where nuts are filling and prevent people like me from hitting the candy machine for a Twix bar some other such bad food. Except for the part where eating nuts has been shown to have a positive effect of cholesterol levels.
Except for the part where nuts have been shown to have a beneficial effect on heart health.
With those slight exceptions, I agree with every word of the OP.
Yup, what he said.0 -
You're rubbish for posting this, fat is not the devil esp if it's good fats like the fat from nuts. smh.....100-170 calories of almonds is not going to ruin someone's day on a calorie restricted diet as you put it...0
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I agree. When ever anyone says to me "just eat some [nuts/nut butters] if you're looking for more protein." I chuckle and talk to them about the relativity of that statement. Yes, as opposed to a banana they are a good source of protein, but as opposed to other sources of protein they're an inefficient use of calories if upping protein is your goal.0
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all true, but a few almonds fill a hunger gap for me... x0
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Totally agree, Morrisons sell "snack portions" of almonds. When I read the nutrition info in the back I found out it was just over 450 calories.
Seems like quite a few calories for a "snack" :noway:0 -
Except for the part where the fat from nuts is healthy for you.
Except for the fiber that a serving of nuts provides.
Except where nuts are filling and prevent people like me from hitting the candy machine for a Twix bar some other such bad food. Except for the part where eating nuts has been shown to have a positive effect of cholesterol levels.
Except for the part where nuts have been shown to have a beneficial effect on heart health.
With those slight exceptions, I agree with every word of the OP.
Except for the part where the OP didn't offer a better alternative? What gives? You're gonna go telling everyone nuts are a bogus source of protein, but not offer up your thoughts on what is better?
I usually recommend whole eggs or salmon . . . both are great sources of Omega 3 fatty acids and proteins.0 -
I always thought that nut protein had quite a good amino profile so I'm not sure about this, can anyone confirm?
Might depend on the nut. I picked almonds because they are fairly popular
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3085/2
And pistachios http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3136/2
Expand the protein and amino acid box to see the profile.0 -
Turkey's the best I think0
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