The Best Healthy Nuts
The Best Healthy Nuts
Which are best healthy nuts available in the market? The perfect answer is not available currently.
From one study, around 32% nuts were peanuts that are eaten, 16% walnuts, 29% almonds and 23% are other types. But researchers could not judge whether these nuts were oil-roasted, dry-roasted or fresh.
From another study, peanuts, technically known as ‘legumes’, help to reduce heart disease risks’ as of tree nuts. Experiments were done by giving nuts to volunteers in daily diet for a couple of weeks.
Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and pistachio nuts all affect blood composition in different ways which lower coronary disease risks. Chestnuts, having low fat, are still not studied properly.
The advice is to eat different varieties of nuts. Walnuts may be beneficial as they include n-3 fatty acids. Coconuts should be avoided as they contain highly saturated fats.
Still it’s not completely known why are nuts called health-promoting food? Nuts possess unsaturated fats at high levels and saturated fats at low levels. As compared to other fatty acids, nuts lower the level of blood cholesterol, to reduce risk of heart troubles.
Though nuts are good means of getting vitamin E, fiber, copper, folic acid, amino acid, arginine as well as magnesium, still they help to prevent heart disease. Nuts are thus good diet means of boron, manganese as well as include plant sterols.
In New Zealand, nuts are eaten less or in the form of peanut butter. Nuts increase consumption. Various recipes include nuts into cakes, soups, home-baked bread, sauces, main dishes, salads, stuffing and desserts.
For example, baklava, pesto and Waldorf salad are well-known. On the Internet, many recipes are available using nuts, say RecipeSource and Epicurious.
In New Zealand and Australia, a food company called Sanutarium manufactures Nutmeat and Nutolene, which are peanut-based meat substitutes.
Nut butters of peanut, cashew, almond and hazelnut are very tasty. Commercial peanut butters contain additional saturated fats to make it healthier. Unfortunately, salt is added. These butters can be made easily at home by first roasting, grinding and then blend nuts.
Nuts are main component of Healthy Eating Pyramid. Peanut butter is helpful in weight-loss. Almonds were main part of ‘Portfolio’ diet which lowered cholesterol as drug Lovastatin.
Through American and British surveys, it’s found that among hundreds of people one or two may be allergic.
Both adults and children can be affected by symptoms such as hoarseness in throat or skin rashes. But for rest of population, nuts prove to be health-promoting food.