If you’re trying to keep to a healthy diet, you may be wary of nuts, due to how they are high calories – and how most of these calories are from fat. However, nuts are an excellent choice for a snack, for sprinkling in salads, and more. There are many health benefits from snacking on nuts. You just need to know how to eat them properly in order to prevent caloric overload.
Here’s what you need to know about why the fat content of nuts can actually be a good thing and the potential health benefits you could experience from snacking on nuts. Let’s get into it!
Should You Be Worried About The Fat Content Of Nuts?
So long as you eat nuts in moderation? No.
Fat gets a bad rep in today’s world. People want to do whatever they can to avoid it, going for low-fat and no-fat alternatives with the idea that they’re healthier than the full-fat options. However, your body needs a regular intake of fat in order to best maintain your overall health.
When you try to cut out as much fat as possible, you could end up depriving your body of an essential nutrient. Fat gives you energy, it supports cellular growth, it protects your organs, it helps with nutrient absorption, and it keeps your blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Healthy fats are a must for a healthy body!
Nuts are a wonderful source of fat, especially since most of them have unsaturated fats (aka, the “healthy” kind). Unsaturated fats can lower your cholesterol. Some nuts have saturated fat (the “bad” kind), which you need to be more careful with, since consuming high amounts of saturated fats can increase your cholesterol and risk of heart disease. However, most nuts have the “good” kind, not the “bad” kind.
Since nuts are so high in fats and calories, you do need to mind your portion sizes to avoid having too much of a good thing. However, people who have a habit of snacking on nuts enjoy all sorts of different health benefits.
Health Benefits Of Snacking On Nuts
As with anything else, the potential benefits you could experience from snacking on nuts vary from person to person. They also vary depending on the type of nut you opt for and your portion sizes.
#1. Help Your Heart
The American Heart Association highlights the importance of dietary fats for a healthy heart. Nuts can lower inflammation related to heart disease, improve artery health, decrease the risk of blood clots (and ergo heart attacks), and lower the risk of high blood pressure and early death from heart disease.
#2. Aid Weight Loss
We know, we know. If you want to lose weight, shouldn’t you stay away from high-fat foods? Au contraire! Nuts can help you on your weight loss journey. Studies have shown that people who eat nuts lost more weight than control groups that did not. Your body does not absorb all of the calories from nuts, plus nuts help you to feel fuller and longer, ultimately helping you eat less.
#3. Improve Cholesterol
Scientists have uncovered a direct correlation between snacking on nuts a few times a week and the reduction of LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your body. This decreases your risk of suffering from a stroke or heart disease.
#4. High Nutritional Value
Snacking on nuts is good for more than just their healthy fats! Different nuts have different nutrient levels and they are highly variable. However, as a whole, nuts are full of antioxidants, which protect your cells from free radicals and cholesterol. Nuts also have: fiber, vitamin E, protein, manganese, and more.
#5. Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation isn’t always a bad thing. Acute inflammation protects your body from foreign elements and helps to heal injuries. However, long-term, chronic inflammation can result in all sorts of health problems, from diabetes to arthritis and more. Nuts help to reduce this bad inflammation and keep you healthier.
These are but 5 of the many health benefits of snacking on nuts. If you ever have any questions about the best options for your diet, consult with a primary care provider, dietician, or nutritionist, as they will be able to help you with your specific dietary needs.
Delicious Nut Mixes And Gift Boxes For You To Enjoy
Kitchen Kneads owns and operates Salt City Nut Company. This is a local brand of nut and fruit mixes and gift boxes crafted by experienced roasters. We have all sorts of nut mixes available, from variety packs to jumbo tubs. We also offer, raw, roast & salted, and roasted with no salt mixes.
Feel free to browse through our offerings and see if anything catches your eye. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re here to help, however we can.
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