Don't be suckered into the fat content of nuts. It's good fat (unsaturated), which your body needs to survive. The good fat in nuts are essential fatty acids (EFA’s) & are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. I know nuts are higher in fat + calories, than, say a celery stalk, but this good fat will anchor within your system, hence, you'll stay fuller longer (as compared to the celery stalk). Avoid peanuts though, which are especially susceptible to mold—-not a good element to put into the body. You have a schmorgusboard of nuts to choose from! But be smart! Don’t eat bags of them. A ¼ cup of raw or dry roasted, unsalted almonds (about a handful) is a delicious, nutritious, and filling snack (170-200 calories). Try walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or macadamias--yummy! Or eat more seeds like the almonds, which are a seed, not a nut. Try pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and ground flax seeds sprinkled on your salad--more yummy!
Studies show that people who add nuts to their diet have more of a tendency to stick to their diet. Nuts are a wealth of fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, copper, magnesium and amino acids.
Here's a quickie guide help you understand a serving size of nuts:
* almonds (160 calories for 24 nuts)
* walnuts (180 calories for 14 nuts)
* pistachios (170 calories for 47 shelled nuts)
* cashews (170 calories for 20 nuts)
* pecans (190 calories for 20 halves)
