Nuts and dried fruit intake

sukifr

Hi there

I'm looking for nutritional advice on nuts and dried fruit intake on a daily basis, ie what is the recommended amount and what damage is there (if any)from 'over consumption'?

You see my brother-in-law has recently come to live with us, and has become a vegetarian. He doesn't eat meat or fish, and has very little in the way of dairy products, unless it's a dish with cooked cheese on/in it.

However what he does eat is nuts, raisins, dried apricots and chrystallised ginger all the time!! In between meals, as soon as he's finished a meal, before bed - just constant!

He tells me that's it's 'pure' for his body as he follows a yoga mantra(?) and that he should only put 'pure' things in his body and that nuts are one of the best things there is!

He says that brazil nuts are best for you, but as they are so expensive here in France he eats unsalted peanuts.

Now the amounts I'm talking about are nuts - 500-1000g a week
dried fruit/raisins - 500-600g a week
chrystallised ginger - 250-500g a week

Am a blowing this all out of proportion and there's nothing wrong in eating that amount, or is it bad for his health is what I really want to know please. Yes he is an adult and can make his own mind up, and no I don't think it's like he's missing something in his diet - I just think he can't stop eating them!

At the moment he is NOT overweight!!

I would appreciate any helpful advice thankyou

thefewsteps

I think that is fine! as long as he is getting nutrients from other sources as well. Does he eat any vegetables? Nuts have a decent amount of protein but what about greek yogurt, beans, lentils, soy nuts/soy beans, tofu, tempeh, seiten, potatoes?

_Zardoz_

Mistake made

lilpoindexter

I mix 20g of almonds and 25 g of raisins in a plastic samich bag, and have it as a mid morning snack. I have convinced myself it tastes like choclate. I hear lots of jibber jabber about how bad nuts are...but for the same weight, i guarantee the nuts are better than hot cheetos or a snickers bar.

sukifr

soy nuts/soy beans, tofu, tempeh, seiten,

France is very much a meat eating country and I've never seen those products here. I do all the cooking, and try to give him a varity of vegetables, beans, pulses and fruit, but it's very difficult as all he wants to eat are his nuts!

I had to go out yesterday so left plenty of things that he could eat, but they all remained untouched when I got home, as he'd filled himself up on nuts and raisins.

My concern is really is it bad for his health as in raisies cholesterol etc, bad for teeth, bad for his heart etc or is it all ok and I'm just over reacting?

Cr01502

After reading this I would agree.

Nuts are the best thing for your brother.

calibriintx

Nuts are the best. I never limit my nut intake. To be honest, I don't even log nuts. I find that having all the nuts I want can be quite strenuous and I'm certain that I burn more calories that I'm getting from the nuts.

thefewsteps

hmm that sounds kind of dangerous then. Maybe introduce salads with nuts in them? Liek a lettuce/spinach field mix with either walnuts or pecans, chickpeas, and topped with craisins or oranges or something? Just to get a little variety.

thefewsteps

also, if he wants to be pure, why doesn't he eat fresh raw veggies?! you can't get closer to the ground than that!

jamiek917

dried fruit is fine in a serving... but unless its dried without sugar added, its not exactly ideal food. with the added sugar (most store bought versions) it can be as sugary as eating sour patch kids... with the only plus side beng the antioxidants and fiber. its a dieters hell to have more than a serving or two... but hey- as long as u arent doing it- its his life!

as for nuts- raw nuts are a great source of healthy fat, and again, for someone who wants to lose- 1-2 servings is great. more- the calories can really add up!

sukifr

Thankyou all very much for your kind and helpful words :-)

He's not interested in adding the nuts into anything, he just wants to munch - all day!

He's recently given up smoking so maybe they are a substitute for *kitten*?!?

As they say ' you can only lead a horse to water, you can't make it drink'. I will pass on all the helpful advice and the rest is up to him.
It's just difficult to watch as even though I myself am still obese, I don't want to watch someone else turn into the same thing.

Thankyou all once again, much appreciated :-)

mazdauk

You can make him a cassoulet (without the meat - sacrilidge I know!) but I'm guessing that they're replacig the ciggies for him if he's picking at them all the time. Dried fruit - even unsweetened - is very high in sugars, and not good for teeth. Unsalted nuts should not be a problem (avoid macadamia nuts though as they are high in fat AND expensive!).

neanderthin

If he is actually consuming 1000 g's of nuts, that's definitely too much. Born again people I generally just nod and smile.