Can Nuts Be Part Of A Healthy Diet?

I love nuts… the problem I have when eating nuts is the Pringle effect, once you pop you can’t stop. Although nuts are healthy and should form part of a healthy diet, can you lose weight while eating nuts?

Because we know nuts are high in fat we tend to steer clear of them, but what we need to understand is nuts contain good fats, unsaturated healthy types, and we should make them part of a healthy diet.

The following extract taken from “federalnewsradio.com” helps explain nuts a little better and how best to preserve and use them.

Hazelnuts (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

How Can Nuts Be Part Of A Healthy Diet

It doesn’t mean you should eat nuts with abandon, but it does mean you should feel no guilt about working them into a healthy diet.

The trick is moderation. And because nuts are so rich, moderation can be easy. All that rich flavor means it doesn’t take much to feel satisfied. Whether you prefer to incorporate them in a dish, sprinkle them on a salad, or snack them by the handful, they are a great choice for healthy eating.

Nuts generally have a deeper flavor when toasted. To toast raw nuts, place them on a dry baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 F. Keep a close eye on them because they go from toasted to burnt very quickly.

The freezer is the best place to store nuts (same goes for seeds). All their healthy oils put them at risk for going rancid. Place them in a zip-close plastic bag and squeeze out the air before freezing. Always give your nuts a sniff and a taste before putting them in your dish. If they have any sourness or bitterness, don’t use them. The full and original article posted here.

These are helpful tips if you like nuts. I currently follow the Slimming World diet plan and they include nuts as part of their healthy extras on a green day. Nuts are great to cook with as they add texture and variety to a meal. So the question, can nuts be part of a healthy diet? I think would simply be YES. Again it’s all about the right quantities.

One of my favourite meals with nuts is a healthy cashew nut roast. Do you have a favourite nut, or a meal including nuts? Please leave your comments below.