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23-12-2014, 11:44 AM
Are nuts and seeds good for health?
We have all heard about the benefits of eating nuts. Nut lovers tell us that they are a dieter’s friend, helping us feel full and great to munch on as a snack. But here's the full story.
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Here’s the bad news:
Nuts are high in phytic acid which can pose a variety of problems like inhibiting mineral absorption from other foods and causing indigestion, loose motions and an overactive gut. Apart from nuts, phytic acid is found in grains, legumes, oat flakes, coconut and corn. Soaking and roasting the nuts can reduce the levels of this acid and make them easier to digest. In almonds, most of the phytic acid is in the skin so soaking and then peeling the skin off is your best bet to avoid phytic acid.
Nuts are high in calories and fat so eating them in large quantities could throw your diet to the wind. Cashew nuts are the worst culprits in this regard.
Nut allergy
Allergy to nuts is a specific and common problem seen all over the world. Peanut allergy is very common and people who are allergic to it should read all food labels carefully. If you are allergic to nuts, eliminate them from your diet completely.
Salted nuts are dangerous if you have high blood pressure as the excess sodium can raise the blood pressure. Always buy the unsalted variety as they are healthier and easier to digest.
Nuts contain high amounts of oxalates so for people who have a history of kidney stones should eat them once in a way only. Oxates collect in the muscles, bones and glands and are responsible for a muscle problem called fibromyalgia.
A toxic substance called aflatoxin produced by a fungus called Aspergillosis can grow on nuts. So always buy good quality nuts from reputed company.
Nuts can also contain pesticides that are usually found in their oils. Nuts are not cheap and if you buy the organic variety they may be prohibitively expensive so eat them in moderation.
Do not eat more than two servings or two handfuls of nuts on a weekly basis. Remember that you may also be consuming nuts in the form of nut butters like peanut butter, milk for e.g. almond milk and even on baked goods like breads and cookies.
Nuts like walnuts should be stored in the refrigerator, as they get rancid easily especially if stored in warm areas like near the stove.
Nuts contain trypsin inhibitors. The latter prevents proper digestion of proteins, which means the protein from nuts may not even be digested by your system. So the moral here is that eat nuts moderately. Though they have a whole lot of benefits, over eating may lead to complications.
We have all heard about the benefits of eating nuts. Nut lovers tell us that they are a dieter’s friend, helping us feel full and great to munch on as a snack. But here's the full story.
Here’s the bad news:
Nuts are high in phytic acid which can pose a variety of problems like inhibiting mineral absorption from other foods and causing indigestion, loose motions and an overactive gut. Apart from nuts, phytic acid is found in grains, legumes, oat flakes, coconut and corn. Soaking and roasting the nuts can reduce the levels of this acid and make them easier to digest. In almonds, most of the phytic acid is in the skin so soaking and then peeling the skin off is your best bet to avoid phytic acid.
Nuts are high in calories and fat so eating them in large quantities could throw your diet to the wind. Cashew nuts are the worst culprits in this regard.
Nut allergy
Allergy to nuts is a specific and common problem seen all over the world. Peanut allergy is very common and people who are allergic to it should read all food labels carefully. If you are allergic to nuts, eliminate them from your diet completely.
Salted nuts are dangerous if you have high blood pressure as the excess sodium can raise the blood pressure. Always buy the unsalted variety as they are healthier and easier to digest.
Nuts contain high amounts of oxalates so for people who have a history of kidney stones should eat them once in a way only. Oxates collect in the muscles, bones and glands and are responsible for a muscle problem called fibromyalgia.
A toxic substance called aflatoxin produced by a fungus called Aspergillosis can grow on nuts. So always buy good quality nuts from reputed company.
Nuts can also contain pesticides that are usually found in their oils. Nuts are not cheap and if you buy the organic variety they may be prohibitively expensive so eat them in moderation.
Do not eat more than two servings or two handfuls of nuts on a weekly basis. Remember that you may also be consuming nuts in the form of nut butters like peanut butter, milk for e.g. almond milk and even on baked goods like breads and cookies.
Nuts like walnuts should be stored in the refrigerator, as they get rancid easily especially if stored in warm areas like near the stove.
Nuts contain trypsin inhibitors. The latter prevents proper digestion of proteins, which means the protein from nuts may not even be digested by your system. So the moral here is that eat nuts moderately. Though they have a whole lot of benefits, over eating may lead to complications.
