Do nuts make you fat?

nuts They are one of the most nutritious foods out there. When analyzing their nutritional profile, the fact stands out that, as they are foods with a low water content, They have a high nutritional and energy density. So, Do nuts make you fat?

How many calories do nuts have? After vegetable oils, nuts occupy the second place in the list of foods with the most caloriesaround 600 per 100 g, most of them due to its fat content, which oscillates between 50-60 g/100 g. However, due to its nutritional characteristics, some experts have come to propose that a serving of nuts be eaten one to five times a week.How many nuts should take? The limits of your consumption they are largely imposed by their high fat content and his high energy intake. Taking these factors into account, it is considered that the standard servings of nuts should be located between 25 and 30 gnot taking more than one serving per day, up to three times a week.So, are nuts fattening? Indeed, they are caloric, so they are not suitable for hypocaloric diets. However, take a serving of nuts –respecting the recommended amount– It is a great option as a healthy snackfor example, because its nutritional qualities are exceptional.

calories in nuts

If you are concerned about the amount of calories that nuts can provide you, you can choose the less caloric varieties, although there are not great differences between them:

Nuts with more calories: Macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, hazelnuts.Nuts with fewer calories: Cashews, peanuts, sesame, sunflower seeds, pistachios.

Here is a list of nuts, their calories and their nutritional characteristics:

Per 30 g of food

Calories (kcal)

Proteins (g)

Fats (g)

Minerals (percentage of adult daily needs)

Almond180616Vit. E: 63%. Phosphorus: 17%. Magnesium: 16%. vit. B2: 12%. Manganese: 11%. Cashew170514 Magnesium: 27% Phosphorus: 22%. Iron: 14%. B1: 12% Selenium: 10% Hazelnut193418Vit. And 67%. Manganese: 34%. Magnesium: 14%. Phosphorus: 12%. vit. B1: 11 %.Peanut171814Vit. B3: 27% Vit. B1: 26%. vit. E: 26%. Magnesium: 15%. Phosphorus: 14%. Pumpkin (pipes) 162714 Magnesium: 50%. Phosphorus: 44%. Iron: 31%. Manganese: 18%. vit. E: 14%. Desiccated coconut182219Vit. B2: 1 2% Magnesium: 9%. Iron: 7%. Sunflower (pipes) 175815 Vit. E: 55%. vit. B1: 48%. Magnesium: 36% Phosphorus: 23%. Iron: 18%Macadamia215223Magnesium: 12%. vit. B1: 35%. Phosphorus: 7%.Nuez200517Vit. E: 31%. Fluorine: 21%. vit. B6: 16%. Phosphorus: 15%. Magnesium: 13% Brazil nut197420Vit. B1: 29%. Phosphorus: 23% Magnesium: 21%.Pecana207322Vit. B1: 19%. Magnesium: 11%. Phosphorus: 10%. E: 10%. Pinion 202418 Vit. B1: 38%. Phosphorus: 23%. Iron: 11%. Pistachio179615Vit. B6: 30%. vit. B1: 19%. Phosphorus: 19%. Iron: 15%. Magnesium: 15%.Sesame171615Magnesium: 30%. Calcium: 29%. Iron: 25%. vit. B1: 25%. vit. E: 14%.

Nuts: is it fattening to eat a portion as a snack or breakfast?

In general, if we respect the recommended servings, Nuts are not fattening if eaten three times a week (as a snack or for breakfast). Doing so not only does not make us fat, but also benefits our health. And it is that nuts have a multitude of healthy properties:

They provide quality fats. Although the amount of fat that nuts provide is usually the reason for rejection among some consumers, the truth is that one of its main virtues is hidden behind it: the quality of its fats. They contain plant sterols, or phytosterols, which reduce the degree of cholesterol absorption present in the small intestine and which comes, above all, from the bile secretion and the disintegration of the desquamated cells of the intestinal epithelium. In these, a clear predominance of unsaturated or heart-healthy fatssince its consumption is associated with a decrease in cholesterol levels.Rich in protein. Beyond fats, it stands out its protein content Which is situated between 15 and 30% of its weight depending on the variety. These are notable amounts because, for example, peanuts and sunflower provide more protein than meat, and almonds equal it; however, it should be noted that, even when dealing with proteins of good qualitythese do not reach that of foods of animal origin, whose amino acid composition is closer to our needs.High arginine content. They also highlight their high levels of arginine, especially in nutssince this amino acid participates in the formation of nitric oxide, a vasodilator that also reduces the aggregation of platelets in the arteries.Rich in minerals and vitamins. Regarding the former, they can be considered an excellent source of magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc, elements that are scarce in our refined diets.Rich in vitamins. Among the vitamins, the presence in some nuts (sunflower, almond, hazelnut, walnut…), of the vitamin E, with an antioxidant and arterial protective effect.High content of antioxidants. Norwegian and American researchers, after analyzing all the varieties, pointed out that walnuts are the richest in antioxidants and therefore can prevent cardiovascular disease and protect the body from the action of free radicals, reducing their toxic effectThey provide nutrients of high biological value. Nuts provide notable amounts of protein and iron, two of the star nutrients of meat and fish, and can contribute significantly to meeting your nutritional needs. It is therefore advisable to have them.

Is it good to eat nuts?

You have already seen that the nutritional properties of nuts are exceptional, so, in general, The consumption of nuts benefits everyone, except contraindications.

When are nuts especially recommended? In particular they are Ideal for those with high nutritional needssuch as children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and people with great physical activity. It is best to eat them raw.since its nutrients are preserved intact, and to avoid excessive salt intake.When are nuts not recommended? when they have delicate digestionsif you are not interested in eating fiber or if you follow a hypocaloric diet and of course in case allergy to this type of food, whose incidence is beginning to be frequent within food allergies. In this case, it is also necessary to avoid all products that contain nuts. In some cases it is necessary to modify its texture, whether there are teething problemsespecially in the case of the elderly, as if you want to prepare with them “milks” or vegetable drinks.Is coconut a recommended dry fruit? Coconut is a slightly different nut. It has a particular profile of fatty acids, since 100 g of coconut contain 36.5 g of fat and of these 32 g correspond to saturated fat. Its oil, along with palm oil, is used in pastry and pastry products. With the coconut it is shown that vegetable fat is not always synonymous with healthy fat.