Nuts May Help With Weight Control
Many people avoid nuts, believing they are too high in calories; however research now suggests that nuts can help with weight control.
Nuts, with the exception of chestnuts, contain 160 to 200 calories per ounce. Most of these calories come from unsaturated fats. Populations studies have shown that people who eat nuts regularly are likely to weigh less than those who don’t. For example, a Spanish study of almost 9,000 people found that those who ate nuts at least twice a week were less likely to gain weight over 28 months than those who never or rarely ate nuts.
A small study by Purdue University last year found that women who added 344 calories worth of almond a day to their diets, without purposefully cutting back calories or exercising more, did not gain weight after 10 weeks. Few studies have looked at whether or not nuts actually help people lose weight, but one study found that a low-calorie diet that included almonds led to more weight loss than a nut free diet.
A 2007 study from Australia basically summarizes these findings. The researchers found that when nuts are added freely to a diet, they cause less weight gain than what would be predicted, and when added to a calorie-controlled diet, they don’t cause weight gain and sometimes make weight loss easier.
Researchers believe that the fiber and protein contained gives them their benefits by making people fell full longer. Also, some studies suggest that nuts may slightly increase calorie burning. It has also been shown that nuts may reduce the risk of heart disease, because of their positive effects on blood cholesterol. Furthermore, nuts contain heart-healthy B vitamins, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, arginine, sterols, and several phytochemicals.
The following is some advice for adding nuts to your diet:
- Limit yourself to 1 to 2 ounces of nuts each day. A small handful is approximately one ounce.
- Nut butters, including almond, cashew, and peanut, have the same nutritional advantages as nuts themselves.
- Try to eat low or unsalted nuts. Many of the mixed nut varieties contain an large amount of sodium.
- Nuts are a great source of protein for vegetarians or those that eat very little amounts of meat.
I have had an ounce of nuts each day for the past couple years, so it’s nice to know that this is a healthy habit as I suspected. I eat a Planters mix of almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts. They are lightly salted and the package has the South Beach Diet printed on it. I actually weigh them on a food scale, and I eat them as a mid morning snack. I do find that they keep me full until lunchtime.
Reference: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter
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I always thought nuts were pretty high in fat, so I avoided eating too many of them. But a handful or two a day would be a healthy habit, like you mentioned. They are not as bad for you as I thought.
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Nice article..got important ideas here.keep it up!
nuts have always been a healthy snack
its a great snack and gives you a natural level boost, also keeps you full longer in my opinion.
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Great information, just what I was looking for, thanks a bunch! Can’t wait for more…
Great site will visit again!!!! : )
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I also thought that nuts are high in fat. But there are the good fats and if you eat a bit of nuts it won’t do you any harm. We can eat nuts as a snack cause they fill the stomach pretty well.
Nuts are really good for a snack. They’re tasty and they keep our stomach full for longer but I’ve been always careful with them because they contain fat. Now I can see it’s the good fat so great news!
Adding a variety of nuts to your diet (about 1oz for a serving size which is between 160 to 200 calories). Weight loss can be achieved by eating such nuts as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, shelled pistachios and macadamias.