Nuts have high nutritional value due to their protein, mineral, and vitamin content. They are also low in cholesterol and sodium, and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Almonds are the best source of vitamin E, while peanuts provide folic acid. Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet can lead to weight loss and reduce the desire for fattening foods.
The nutritional value of nuts can be measured not only in terms of what vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats they contain, but also in terms of what they don’t. A serving of unsalted walnuts, while high in fat and a source of several essential minerals and vitamins, contains no cholesterol and only trace amounts of sodium. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows packages of nuts to be labeled with wording that they may also reduce the risk of heart disease due to the cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats in nuts. in the blood. In addition to this, the main nutritional value of nuts is in the proteins, vitamins and minerals they provide.
Protein is an essential part of the nutritional value of nuts because a certain amount is necessary for a healthy body, but the protein in nuts also creates a feeling of fullness that can lead to weight loss. Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet reduces the desire for more fattening foods. A peanut, though technically a legume rather than a nut, contains the most protein of any nut, with a 1 oz (28 g) serving containing about 7 grams (0.25 oz) of protein. The next highest protein nuts are almonds and pistachios, while the ones with the least amount of protein are macadamias.
Further contributing to the nutritional value of nuts are a host of minerals that occur in different combinations and concentrations. Minerals in nuts include magnesium, manganese, zinc, and iron, as well as many others. A 1 oz (28 g) serving of hazelnuts provides close to the FDA recommended daily allowance for manganese, while the same size serving of pine nuts exceeds the recommended allowance. Manganese helps the body assimilate vitamin C and is important for bone growth. Almonds, Brazil nuts, and cashews are good sources of magnesium, which is necessary for proper muscle function and energy metabolism.
Being a good source of vitamins contributes to the nutritional value of nuts not only because vitamins are essential for metabolism and cell growth, but also because vitamins help prevent disease. While the vitamins in nuts do not include vitamin A, C, or D, they do include many of the B-complex spectrum and vitamin E. Almonds are the best source of vitamin E, and a 1 oz (28 g) serving provides 35% of the FDA recommended daily allowance. The same amount of peanuts provides 10% of the recommended dose of folic acid, a B vitamin that reduces the risk of heart disease.
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