Nuts are high in mono and polyunsaturated fats and are 10-25 per cent protein. Nuts are a very good source of fibre and certain vitamins and minerals. Nuts should be consumed in moderation because they are high in fat and often salted, however nuts are cholesterol-free like the other plant foods. Although nuts are known to provide a variety of cardio-protective benefits, many avoid them for fear of weight gain. A prospective study published in the journal Obesity shows such fears are groundless. In fact, people who eat nuts at least twice a week are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat nuts.

Cashews

Cashews are high in fat but lower than almonds, peanuts, pecans and walnuts and contain essential fatty acids, protein, fibre, carbohydrate, B vitamins, and iron and zinc. Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 82% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 66% of this unsaturated fatty acid content are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil. Studies of diabetic patients show that monounsaturated fat, when added to a low-fat diet, can help to reduce high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, so ensuring you have some monounsaturated fats in your diet by enjoying cashews is a good idea, especially for persons with diabetes. Twenty years of dietary data collected on 80,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study shows that women who eat least 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter each week have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones. Since 1 ounce is only 28.6 nuts or about 2 tablespoons of nut butter, preventing gallbladder disease may be as easy as packing one cashew butter and jelly sandwich (be sure to use whole wheat bread for its fiber, vitamins and minerals) for lunch each week, having a handful of cashews as an afternoon pick me up, or tossing some cashews on your oatmeal or salad.

• copper 98%
• phosphorus 34%
• manganese 33%
• magnesium 29%
• zinc 21%

This chart details the %DV that a serving of Cashews provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System.

Almonds

The almond is a very popular tree nut. Almonds are high in healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, protein and various important nutrients. Almonds are  and are good source of vitamin B2 and E, calcium, iron, and zinc.

A 1 ounce (28 grams, or small handful) serving of almonds contains:

• Fiber: 3.5 grams.
• Protein: 6 grams.
• Fat: 14 grams (9 of which are monounsaturated).
• Vitamin E: 37% of the RDA.
• Manganese: 32% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 20% of the RDA.

This is all from a small handful, which supplies only 161 calories and 2.5 grams of digestible carbohydrates. Almonds are high in antioxidants that can protect your cells from oxidative damage, a major contributor to ageing and disease.

It is also important to note that 10-15% of an almond’s calories are not absorbed by the body, because the fat is too difficult to access and break down

Peanuts

Technically a legume, these contain more protein than most nuts (20-30 per cent), and good amounts of fibre, folate, and niacin. Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health.

Walnuts are rich in vitamins, especially folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc, these are also high in antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids. Given the wide variety antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients found in walnuts, it’s not surprising to see research on this tree nut showing measurable anti-cancer benefits. The antioxidant properties of walnuts help lower risk of chronic oxidative stress, and the anti-inflammatory properties help lower risk of chronic inflammation, and it is precisely these two types of risk, that, when combined, pose the greatest threat for cancer development. Prostate cancer and breast cancer are the best-studied types of cancer with respect to walnut intake, and their risk has been found to be reduced by fairly large amounts of walnut consumption.

• omega-3 fats 113%
• copper 53%
• manganese 51%
• molybdenum 20%
• biotin 19%

This chart details the %DV that a serving of Walnuts provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System.

Pine nuts

The small edible seeds of pine trees, pine nuts are high in protein, calcium, and magnesium. Pine nuts suppress your appetite. If you’re trying to lose weight, eating pine nuts may help. Research showed that fatty acids derived from pine nuts lead to the release of high amounts of cholecystokinin (CCK), an appetite-suppressing hormone. Women who consumed three grams of the fatty acid pinolenic acid prior to breakfast slowed the absorption of food in their gut and decreased their food intake by 37 percent. According to researchers. Pine nuts contain nutrients that help boost energy, including monounsaturated fat, protein and iron. Pine nuts are also a good source of magnesium, low levels of which can lead to fatigue. Pine nuts contain a wealth of antioxidants, including vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and lutein. Antioxidants are crucial to your health as they are believed to help control how fast you age by combating free radicals, which are at the heart of age related deterioration.Pine nuts contain a wealth of antioxidants, including vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and lutein. Antioxidants are crucial to your health as they are believed to help control how fast you age by combating free radicals, which are at the heart of age related deterioration.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are high in fibre, and vitamin E and are a very good source of protein.  Hazelnuts are also a rich source of potassium, calcium and magnesium. Hazelnuts contain heart-healthy fats that can protect heart health. Specifically, they are high in healthy polyunsaturated and mononunsaturated fats and low in unhealthier unsaturated fats. Hazelnuts are a good source of oleic acid. Oleic acid can help to lower levels of bad cholesterol, LDL, and can raise levels of good cholesterol, HDL, in the body. This makes hazelnuts a good addition to salads and baked muffins. Hazelnuts contains phytopchemicals, including proanthocyanidins, quercetin and kaempherol. These proanthocyanidins belong to a group called the flavonoids. Flavonoids may support brain health, improve circulation and reduce symptoms associated with allergies. Consuming a handful of hazelnuts for a snack may provide your body with all these healthy benefits. Hazelnuts are relatively high in calories — at 178 calories per ounce, they provide 9 percent of the daily energy intake in a typical 2,000-calorie diet. Each ounce of hazelnuts boasts 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of carbohydrates, including 2.7 grams of beneficial dietary fiber.

Pistachios

There are many health benefits of pistachios. They are one of the few nuts that contain most of the nutrients that are required by humans for complete health. Pistachios contain nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dietary fiber, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, vitamin B-6, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin K. All of these nutrients make pistachios ideally suited for better health. Pistachios contain a higher amount of protein in comparison with other nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, and walnuts. The amount of protein found is 6 g per 1 ounce, which is the highest in comparison to other nuts. The fat content in pistachios is also the lowest compared to other nuts. Statistics collected by Thomas and Gebhardt (2006) show that the fat content is 13 g per 1 ounce.

Pistachios are also a very good source for mono-unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and antioxidants. Taking them on a regular basis is known to be effective in decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is known as “bad” cholesterol and helps to increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as “good” cholesterol. One of the biggest health benefits of pistachios is that they are heart-friendly nuts. Research suggests that regular pistachio consumption can decrease the levels of bad LDL cholesterol in the body. The antioxidants, phytosterols, unsaturated fatty acids (both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids) are great for promoting a healthy heart.

Pistachios are also the first choice for people who are dieting. Evidence suggests that pistachios, with their lower calories, high protein, low saturated fat, and high unsaturated fats, are an ideal contender as compared to other nuts and dried fruits for ideal weight management.

Chestnuts

Chestnuts contain less fat than most other nuts, containing microminerals and potassium, but are not a good source of protein. The fiber content of chestnuts, 3 g per 100 g, is higher than that of walnuts, with 2.1 g per 100 g, pecans, 2.3 g per 100 g, and pistachios 1.9 g per 100 g but about half that of hazelnuts. Their fiber content makes them a low glycemic index food — one that raises blood sugar slowly — says Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D., writing for the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. Chestnuts provide 195 calories per 100 g serving, mostly coming from their high carbohydrate content, according to a study published in the April 2009 issue of the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.” Chestnuts are high in vitamin C, minerals, such as potassium, copper and magnesium, amino acids and antioxidants. Chestnuts are also low in kidney stone-forming oxalate compounds, with less than 85 mg per 100 g, in comparison to other nuts.

Pecan Nuts

Pecan nuts contain Vitamin A and B1, fibre, iron, calcium,copper, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. They are also high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

One of the most significant facts of pecans nutrition is that these nuts are the best antioxidants. If you add a handful of pecan nuts to your daily diet, it will help to subdue the blood lipids to get oxidized unnecessarily. This helps in preventing coronary heart diseases. Pecan nut contains vitamin E which is a natural antioxidant that protects blood lipids from getting oxidized. No wonder, pecan nuts are topmost ranked nuts with highest antioxidant capacitance, among all the other nuts. Another distinct factor of pecans nutrition is that they have cholesterol lowering properties. After an extensive research carried out by Dr. Ronald Eitenmiller from University of Georgia, it has been proved that the plant sterols in pecans have cholesterol-lowering characteristics.

Research has also confirmed that pecan nuts help in weight loss. According to researches consumption of these nuts help in increasing the metabolic rate of the body and improves satiety. Pecan might seem to be a high-calorie nut but the best part of those calories is that 90% of fats are unsaturated, apart from pecan being sodium-free.