Why I eat Nuts and Seeds Everyday

Why I eat Nuts and Seeds Everyday

  1. Protection against Cardiovascular disease and cancer
  • Nuts have unsaturated fats (good fats), fiber and plant sterols that can help lower your bad cholesterol Also have L-arginine which helps improve the health of you artery walls which means less prone to blood clots and blocked blood flow
  1. Preventing Diabetes
  • The unsaturated fat, plant proteins, fiber, antioxidants, and protective plant chemicals just to name a few help to improve blood glucose. When I was gestational diabetic with all my pregnancies nuts where a great source of protein that I enjoyed on a daily basis. Whenever I would eat a piece of fruit I would always pair some nuts with it.
  1. Gut Benefits
  • High in beneficial fiber which is food for your good bacteria in your gut. Which can lead to multiple benefits such as improved immune system, decrease risk of obesity and diabetes,

 

  1. Weight management
  • Almonds specifically have been shown to promote weight loss. Research has shown that our bodies don’t absorb all the calories as a portion of the fat stays trapped in the nuts wall during digestion. The protein and fiber in them also have a satiety effect on our bodies (meaning that it doesn’t take much to fill you up and keep you filling full longer)

How much is one serving of nuts

A serving of nuts is 1 ounce which can vary by the nut

Almonds is about 23          Pecans=19 halves

Hazelnuts =21                     Pistachios=49

Peanuts=28                         Walnuts=14 halves

A serving of seeds is 1 ounce as well as is typically 2 Tablespoons

 

How to get more nuts and seeds in your diet

Add them to your smoothie, or salad. I always add nuts or nut butter to my smoothies (great source of protein and fat)

Mix different nuts together to make a trail mix.

If you make oatmeal in the morning add a scoop of chia or flax seeds.

Some of my Favorite recipes that include nuts

Pine Nut Bar http://www.jayshomekitchen.com/salty-sweet-pine-nut-bars/

Spinach Salad from Mels Kitchen Cafe https://www.melskitchencafe.com/spinach-salad-with-sweet-spicy-nuts-apples-feta-and-bacon/

Fab Four Smoothies https://bewellbykelly.com/recent-posts/2016/4/14/cherry-cacao-be-well-smoothie

  • I know that there are a lot of people and kids that have nut allergies and in this cases they should of course be completely taken out of the diet and from around the person. However the research is now showing that the sooner you introduce nuts into your infants diet the less likely they are to have an allergy of them. So I would encourage to start adding peanut or almond butter into your families diet as soon as they can have solids.

 

    • I usually always buy my nuts and seeds either from Costco, Sprouts (bulk bins), or Amazon
    • Below is some of the products I like from Amazon (disclaimer I do make a small profit when you buy from Amazon links on my site but I do not show you anything I don’t personally buy and love)





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