Confused about nuts!

1mrsmouse
1mrsmouse Posts: 7 Member
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
Read somewhere nuts contain good fat. Ate a 100g bag of mixed nuts, contained 660 cals and put me over my daily calorie intake by about 550 calories. I'm confused! Please help! LOL :sad: :sad:

Replies

  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
    Nuts do contain good fats, but you wanna watch how many you eat... everything in moderation!
  • LittleD311
    LittleD311 Posts: 618 Member
    I usually eat only 5 almonds! LOL
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
    @dara- yeah, I try to limit almonds to max of 15 per day, but it is hard!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    A whole bag was probably not a good Idea. Next time look at the nutrition info before you eat them and only eat a serving size.
  • LittleD311
    LittleD311 Posts: 618 Member
    @dara- yeah, I try to limit almonds to max of 15 per day, but it is hard!

    i know, right?! i usually only have 5, and then stop...I havent had almonds in awhile though! lol
  • antonio823
    antonio823 Posts: 298 Member
    Here is what I found from askdrsears.com:

    These varieties contain the most protein, fiber, B-vitamins, calcium, minerals, and vitamin E for the least amount of saturated fat:

    Almonds
    Filberts (hazelnuts)
    Peanuts
    Chestnuts
    Pistachios
    Walnuts
    Cashews
    Pecans
    Macadamias

    Almonds. Our "Top Nut" award goes to the almond. Here are the main nutrients in one ounce of almonds (a medium-size handful):

    166 calories
    5 grams of protein
    14 grams of fat (90 percent unsaturated)
    4 grams of fiber (the highest fiber content of any nut or seed), unblanched
    80 milligrams of calcium
    1.4 milligrams of zinc
    1 milligram of iron
    6.7 milligrams of vitamin E
    some B-vitamins, minerals, and selenium
    Filberts, (hazelnuts) because they are high in the amino acid tryptophan, are a good nut for sleep. Almonds and filberts have the most vitamin E (6.7 milligrams per ounce) - nearly 25 percent of the adult recommended dietary allowance.

    NUTRITIP
    Sleep Nuts } Eating a small handful of nuts as a before-bedtime snack may help you catch more Z's. Some nuts and seeds, especially whole filberts and ground sesame seeds, have a high amount of the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan.

    Walnuts have the greatest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids.

    Chestnuts are lowest in fat, containing only about 10 percent as much fat as other nuts. What little fat is in the chestnut (1.3 grams per ounce) is nearly all the unsaturated type. Chestnuts also contain three grams of fiber per ounce, but they are relatively low in protein.

    Soybean nuts and peanuts are not really nuts at all. They are legumes, and they come from plants rather than trees. Both are very nutritious. Soybean nuts, while less popular because of their less appealing taste, are actually the most nutritious nut. A quarter cup of soybean nuts contains a similar number of calories to other nuts, yet packs the following nutrients:

    17 grams of protein
    9 grams of fat (90 percent unsaturated)
    3.5 grams of fiber
    138 milligrams of folic acid (33 percent of the DV)
    116 milligrams of calcium (10 percent of the DV)
    2 milligrams of zinc (around 15 percent of the DV)
    1.7 milligrams of iron (10 percent of the DV)
    19 micrograms of selenium
    When purchasing soybean nuts, avoid those that are roasted in "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils

    ******************************************************************************************************************************************

    ***And also from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Nuts?OpenDocument

    Nuts

    Summary
    Eating nuts may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Most nuts including walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, chestnuts and hazelnuts contain mainly mono-unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and other compounds that influence blood cholesterol levels. Peanuts, brazil nuts, almonds and hazelnuts can cause acute allergy in some people.


    Nut consumption has decreased in Australia over the past 20 years. This might be because people believe nuts are high in fat. However, recent studies have shown that nuts can protect against heart disease and, possibly, diabetes. If eaten as part of a healthy diet, they do not appear to contribute to overweight or obesity. In one study, eating a handful of nuts five times per week was found to halve the risk of heart disease.

    Nutritional make-up of nuts
    Different types of nuts contain different nutrients, but generally nuts contain:

    Low levels of saturated fats.
    High levels of mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
    No cholesterol.
    Phytochemicals, such as phytoestrogens (isoflavones) and phenolic compounds, ellagic acid and flavonoids.
    Dietary fibre.
    Plant protein, which makes them a good alternative to meat; nuts are also high in the amino acid arginine.
    Vitamins E, B6, niacin and folic acid.
    Minerals such as magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, copper, selenium and potassium.
    Nuts and heart disease
    Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is considered the ‘bad’ cholesterol. It can contribute to the build-up of plaque inside the arteries; this causes them to become narrow (atherosclerosis) and can lead to heart disease.

    Increases in LDL cholesterol are mainly caused by saturated fats. Eating nuts seems to help lower LDL cholesterol levels and help to maintain healthy blood vessels. This may have something to do with their high content of mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, antioxidant phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, the vitamin folate and the amino acid arginine.

    Exceptions to the healthy rule
    Most nuts – including almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts and pistachios – contain mainly mono-unsaturated fats. However, coconut and palm nuts contain high levels of saturated fats; consumption of these should be limited.

    Nuts, obesity and diabetes
    Dietary fats are energy dense, with twice the amount of kilojoules per gram (37kJ) than either protein (17kJ) or carbohydrate (16kJ). People who are overweight and obese can still benefit from the protective properties of nuts, without associated weight gain, if they swap them for existing food intake (in moderate amounts) instead of eating high fat processed snack foods. Some nuts contain more fat than others, but varieties such as almonds and chestnuts have comparatively low amounts of fat.

    Nuts and allergy
    Peanuts – and to a lesser extent brazil nuts, almonds and hazelnuts – can cause acute allergy in some people, particularly young children. This can be life threatening. Young children with a predisposition to allergies should avoid peanuts and other types of nuts as, once developed, this allergy will probably persist into adulthood.

    Recommendations on nut intake
    Research studies have shed new light on the role of nuts in protecting us against heart disease and diabetes. As a result, recommendations regarding nuts have recently changed. Probably the best advice is to have a handful (nine to 15 nuts) of a variety of nuts daily, especially walnuts and almonds.

    Hints on how to include nuts in your diet
    Instead of eating a biscuit or piece of cake as a snack, try having a handful of plain unroasted nuts. Combining nuts with low energy-dense foods (such as vegetables) in meals is a good way to eat them – for example, in Asian style dishes or added to a salad.

    Vegetarians, vegans or people who avoid red meat need to eat nuts almost daily because nuts are a good substitute for meat (they contain protein, fat, iron, zinc and niacin). For example, ½ cup of nuts or ¼ cup of seeds or two tablespoons of nut and seed spreads like peanut butter or sesame seed paste (tahini) are equivalent to a serve of meat.

    Where to get help
    Your doctor
    An accredited practising dietitian, contact the Dietitians Association of Australia
    Things to remember
    Nuts are a healthy food and a good source of protein and healthy fats.
    Nuts contain mono-unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and other compounds that influence blood cholesterol.
    People who are overweight or obese can eat nuts in moderation instead of high fat, processed foods in the diet.
  • scubacat
    scubacat Posts: 346 Member
    I eat almonds everyday but limit myself to only 1 oz. You could measure them out in snack size baggies. The baggies that most nuts come packaged in are way more than what you should be consuming in one serving.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    An easy way to limit your nut intake is to buy it in bulk (way cheaper) but then immediately break it up into single-serving bags. I weigh out 17 to 18 g of almonds for a serving (I have a digital kitchen scale - a must-have for anyone looking to watch food intake!), which is about 100 calories. This way, I know how much I'm eating and am not tempted to eat more because I just grab a single bag at a time.
  • ninaws
    ninaws Posts: 42 Member
    I know this isn't contributing anything to discussion but I just have to say: GOD, I LOVE NUTS.

    ...and a negative million internet points to anyone who replies with 'that's what she said'.

    ;)

    But no, really. Nuts are awesome. I remember the first time I tried eating healthy but didn't really know what I was doing, I would snack on nuts to my hearts content. This usually meant that I would go through a 1 lb bag of almonds in about a 1.5 - 2 days. At the end of the week, I weighed myself and was shocked to discover that I had gained weight. I was soooo confused (and I felt betrayed! Healthy eating, whhhhhy you hurt me?!) until I looked at the nutritional info.

    Oops!
  • laurahamer07
    laurahamer07 Posts: 3 Member
    I wasn't going to say "Thats what she said", I was just going to say "Whats confusing about nuts, just put them in your mouth lol" Gotta love nuts. salty and DELICIOUS lol preferably almonds
  • nellsbells1
    nellsbells1 Posts: 28 Member
    I try to eat nuts every day,but only a small amount...5 or 6 almonds and i usually try to
    have different types of nuts like pistachios or peanuts or pine nuts....and never,ever
    eat nuts from a bag in front of the TV.
  • sweet_lotus
    sweet_lotus Posts: 194 Member
    I wasn't going to say "Thats what she said", I was just going to say "Whats confusing about nuts, just put them in your mouth lol"

    haha, then you have to bite down on them REALLY HARD. oh, wait.... hahaha
  • you greedy sod. Do 5000,000 million pressups immediately.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    Read somewhere nuts contain good fat. Ate a 100g bag of mixed nuts, contained 660 cals and put me over my daily calorie intake by about 550 calories. I'm confused! Please help! LOL :sad: :sad:
    You eat them in small amounts. My morning snack was 15 almonds. It came to a little under 200 cal
  • 1mrsmouse
    1mrsmouse Posts: 7 Member
    yeah that sounds sensible! Thanks:smile:
  • 1mrsmouse
    1mrsmouse Posts: 7 Member
    Wow, thanks for that. Seems to be evidence based. Will print this off for future reference.
  • 1mrsmouse
    1mrsmouse Posts: 7 Member
    Done!!!! NOT lol
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