Why are flaked almonds so unhealthy?

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girlr94
girlr94 Posts: 38 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I heard that almonds are good for you. I'm really not a fan of nuts at all (I only like coconut and hazelnuts) but I can tolerate almonds so I bought some flaked ones today because I need to find ways to boost my protein. But according to the packet on 25g portion (a 1/4 of the bag) contains 161 calories, 14g of fat, 1.1g saturated fat, 1g of sugar! Why is there so much fat and so many calories in them? I was hoping to eat them as a healthy snack or to add to meals but just sprinkling them of top of porridge (oatmeal) or something would be a lot of extra calories! I could easy just snack on the bag but that would be 645 calories! I know snacking that much is bad but it's still a surprise considering that they're supposed to be the one of the 'healthier' nuts. The 25g is good for protein because it's about 6g, but I feel like I can't afford to eat them if they're so full of fat otherwise! Could anyone just enlighten me as to why they're so bad?
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Replies

  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I don't see anything bad or unhealthy about almonds. Sorry.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    They aren't unhealthy...

    What exactly about them is horrible? They're nutrient dense. Decent amount of proteins and fats...and they're pretty tasty on ice cream...
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
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    a. All nuts are high in fat.

    b. Dietary fat is not bad.

    c. If your goal is to add more protein, nuts don't help all that much.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
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    calories are not unhealthy

    fat is not unhealthy

    6g protein is not much protein.
  • 120by30
    120by30 Posts: 217 Member
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    They're not.

    Flaked or whole, they taste good and are perfectly healthy. Just gotta fit them in!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Still confused about what makes them unhealthy
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
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    I heard that almonds are good for you. I'm really not a fan of nuts at all (I only like coconut and hazelnuts) but I can tolerate almonds so I bought some flaked ones today because I need to find ways to boost my protein. But according to the packet on 25g portion (a 1/4 of the bag) contains 161 calories, 14g of fat, 1.1g saturated fat, 1g of sugar! Why is there so much fat and so many calories in them? I was hoping to eat them as a healthy snack or to add to meals but just sprinkling them of top of porridge (oatmeal) or something would be a lot of extra calories! I could easy just snack on the bag but that would be 645 calories! I know snacking that much is bad but it's still a surprise considering that they're supposed to be the one of the 'healthier' nuts. The 25g is good for protein because it's about 6g, but I feel like I can't afford to eat them if they're so full of fat otherwise! Could anyone just enlighten me as to why they're so bad?

    I think it's just some kind of holdover from the 70's, when people were doing more exercise and not so worried about getting fat, but were attempting to eat 'nutrients' and half of them were going vegetarian.

    I remember quite a few people going vegetarian and stacking on a ton of weight. like... a TON. Eating all those nuts for protein...

    There were no other sources in NZ at the time. tofu and tofu products did not exist and I don't think anyone ever saw a garbanzo bean till the late eighties.
  • ashiunia
    ashiunia Posts: 4 Member
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    Being high in fat doesn't make them unhealthy - look at avocados. Oh, and there are as many calories in the same amount of whole almonds as there are in slivered ones.
  • beabria
    beabria Posts: 541 Member
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    Not unhealthy or bad at all, but they are calorie dense. When eating nuts, you're depending on the fat (and to a lesser degree protein) content to fill you up, not the bulk. I find that it takes a little longer for my body to realize that it is full due to fat/protein content than it does for high volume foods, but the fullness lasts much longer. So, to remind myself that I've eaten a portion and to take a break and see if I start to feel full, I've started pre-measuring my nuts. (Usually 1/4 cup = one serving, but it may be different for flaked almonds, which probably pack tighter.) Almost always I feel full within 10 minutes, but if I didn't premeasure, I would've eaten much more than one serving.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    This is why so many people get confuzzled about what's 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' to eat. Nuts have a lot of oil in them, which raises the calorie count; dieticians will tell you this oil is a healthy fat. In an overall calorie count, you want to eat nuts but weigh them carefully and add them to your overall calorie count to maintain your deficit without going over, because they are so calorie dense. If you are trying to bulk and want to add calories without adding a lot of mass to your food (for those who just can't reach their overall calories in a day) nuts are a good way to do that, because they are a calorie dense food, like avocado. Basically, eat your nuts, just don't eat a lot of them.
    Weigh your foods to make sure you're meeting your calorie goals and you'll be fine.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    This is why so many people get confuzzled about what's 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' to eat. Nuts have a lot of oil in them, which raises the calorie count; dieticians will tell you this oil is a healthy fat. In an overall calorie count, you want to eat nuts but weigh them carefully and add them to your overall calorie count to maintain your deficit without going over, because they are so calorie dense. If you are trying to bulk and want to add calories without adding a lot of mass to your food (for those who just can't reach their overall calories in a day) nuts are a good way to do that, because they are a calorie dense food, like avocado. Basically, eat your nuts, just don't eat a lot of them.
    Weigh your foods to make sure you're meeting your calorie goals and you'll be fine.

    +1
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    There's nothing unhealthy about fat, or any of the other things you listed. You just need to weigh out your portion so you're not consuming a lot more calories than you think you are. You need fat in order to benefit from many of the vitamins in your food.
  • ALH1981
    ALH1981 Posts: 538 Member
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    wow - i think the most interesting thing about this post is the reference to a coconut being a nut…..

    I never thought that! is that the truth?
  • redversustheblue
    redversustheblue Posts: 1,216 Member
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    uhh almonds are very good for you...
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    wut?
  • AwesomeGuy37
    AwesomeGuy37 Posts: 436 Member
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    Flaked?

    I eat almonds as a snack. They are less calories than 2 tbsp. of peanut butter..which has sugar and fat added to it usually. I usually take about 25 almonds and snack on them slowly and they register with my brain. You might do better with sunflower seeds or pistachios in the shells.
  • Mrsbeale11
    Mrsbeale11 Posts: 126 Member
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    I heard that almonds are good for you. I'm really not a fan of nuts at all (I only like coconut and hazelnuts) but I can tolerate almonds so I bought some flaked ones today because I need to find ways to boost my protein. But according to the packet on 25g portion (a 1/4 of the bag) contains 161 calories, 14g of fat, 1.1g saturated fat, 1g of sugar! Why is there so much fat and so many calories in them? I was hoping to eat them as a healthy snack or to add to meals but just sprinkling them of top of porridge (oatmeal) or something would be a lot of extra calories! I could easy just snack on the bag but that would be 645 calories! I know snacking that much is bad but it's still a surprise considering that they're supposed to be the one of the 'healthier' nuts. The 25g is good for protein because it's about 6g, but I feel like I can't afford to eat them if they're so full of fat otherwise! Could anyone just enlighten me as to why they're so bad?

    It can be bad if you ate a 300g bag everyday but 25g is fine, build it into your daily plan as with nearly everything the key is moderation. I like almond wholes sliced in half with two squares of dark chocolate, it cures my sugar fix but rather than me get a complete sugar high it keeps me going for a few hours :)
  • udinth
    udinth Posts: 92
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    wow - i think the most interesting thing about this post is the reference to a coconut being a nut…..

    I never thought that! is that the truth?

    Not exactly. Coconuts are actually drupes, like apricots and plums... and almonds and pistachios! See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drupe
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    What makes you think calories and fat are unhealthy? Your body needs both, just not in unlimited quantities, obviously. Almonds are a great source of calories, fats and micronutrients. They're not a great source of protein though, so if that's the only reason you're eating them, there are far, far better sources. I eat a handful of nuts (usually a mix of almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans) every day because they're so nutritious. I just make sure to weigh them out and log them in my diary.

    If it's protein you're really struggling with, look here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources
  • GreatDepression
    GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
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    All nuts are high in fat content, hence very high in calories.

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