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Can a handful
of nuts a day help keep you healthy?
And how
much, exactly, is a handful?
Nuts and Your Health
Heart Health
In 2003,
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this package label
"qualified" health claim for nuts:
“Scientific
evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day
of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol,
may reduce the risk of heart disease.”
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A
"qualified" health claim means FDA evaluated the data
and determined "though there is scientific evidence to support
this claim, the evidence is not conclusive." A qualified health
claim is issued by FDA when it is determined that consumers will
benefit from more information on a dietary supplement or conventional
food label concerning diet and health even though the claim is based
on "somewhat settled science rather than just on the standard
of significant scientific agreement, as long as the claims do not
mislead the consumers." For more information about qualified
health claims, go to:
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/labqhcqa.html
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According
to FDA, "Types of nuts eligible for this claim are restricted to
almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and
walnuts. Types of nuts on which the health claim may be placed is restricted
to those nuts that were specifically included in the health claim petition,
but that do not exceed 4 g saturated fat per 50 g of nuts."
Though nuts
are a higher-fat food, it is mostly heart-healthy unsaturated fat and
may help lower low-density lipoproteins (LDL or "bad" cholesterol).
Nuts also
are recommended as part of the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension),
a dietary plan clinically proven to significantly reduce blood pressure.
The DASH diet is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
and recommends 4 to 5 servings per week from its "nuts, seeds and
legumes" grouping.
Weight Control
Researchers
at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health
found three times as many people trying to lose weight were able to stick
to a Mediterranean-style moderate-fat weight loss diet that included nuts,
peanuts and peanut butter versus the traditionally recommended low-fat
diet. (International Journal of Obesity, Oct. 5, 2001).
As long
as you control total calories, eating a handful of nuts daily may help
prevent weight gain and possibly promote weight loss. The fat, protein
and fiber in nuts help you feel full longer, so you may eat less during
the day. By helping induce a feeling of satiety, nuts may help people
feel less deprived and not like they're "dieting." Just limit
your portion to a healthy handful.
Diabetes
Women in
a Harvard School of Public Health study who reported eating 5 or more
1 ounce servings of nuts/peanuts per week reduced their risk of Type 2
diabetes by almost 30 percent compared to those who rarely or never ate
nuts. Women in the study who ate five tablespoons of peanut butter each
week reduced their risk for Type 2 diabetes almost 20 percent. (Journal
of the American Medical Association, Nov. 27, 2002.)
Nut
Nutrition
Some nutrients
associated with nuts include magnesium, manganese, protein, fiber, zinc
and phosphorus.
A sampling
of nuts in the news for their contribution to specific nutrients include:
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Walnuts.
One ounce of walnuts (about 14 shelled walnut halves) is all that
is needed to meet the 2002 dietary recommendation of the Food Nutrition
Board of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine for omega-3
fatty acids.
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Almonds.
One ounce of almonds (about 20 to 24 shelled whole almonds) provides
35 percent of your daily value for vitamin E. Vitamin E may help promote
healthy aging. A study reported in the Journal of the American
Association (June 26, 2002) suggests a diet rich in foods containing
vitamin E may help protect some people against Alzheimer's disease.
The study also found vitamin E in the form of supplements was not
associated with a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
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Peanuts.
Though often discussed with nuts, peanuts are a legume along with
dry beans, peas and lentils. One ounce of roasted peanuts provides
about 10 percent of the daily value of folate, a B vitamin recommended
to help reduce the incidence of birth defects and lower the risk of
heart disease. Peanuts also are an excellent source of niacin, providing
about 20 percent of the daily value.
As a group,
nuts also are important for what they DON'T offer:
- Cholesterol.
Nuts are cholesterol-free.
- Sodium.
Unless salt is added to nuts, they naturually contain, at most, just
a trace of sodium.
A
Handful of Nuts
If
you're nuts about nuts and want to assure getting your "handful,"
here is some additional information on measuring amounts. REMEMBER: The
FDA recommendation suggests up to 1.5 ounces of nuts daily or one and
a half times a "handful."
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A handful
equals about 1-ounce. This serving size corresponds to the the serving
size listed on the "Nutrition Facts" panel on food labels.
The Nutrition Facts label will also tell you how many 1-ounce servings
there are per package.
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On average,
a 1.5 ounce serving is equivalent to about 1/3 cup of nuts according
to Maureen Ternus, registered dietitian and nutrition coordinator
for the International Tree Nut Council's Nutrition Research &
Education Foundation (INC NREF).
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One-third cup of nuts is the quantity mentioned in the Food
Guide Pyramid and the Dash Diet.
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The
following table gives the approximate number of nuts per ounce and
an overview of calories, protein and fat. For more information about
additional nutrients and portion sizes, check these materials from
INC NREF:
Nutrients
in 1 Ounce (28 grams) of Shelled
Tree Nuts and Peanuts (1)
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Nut
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Nuts
per 1 oz./
28 grams
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Calories
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Protein
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Fat
(2)
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Total
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Sat
(3)
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Mono
(4)
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Poly
(5)
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| Almonds |
20
- 24 |
160
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6
|
14
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1
|
9
|
3
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| Brazil
nuts |
6
- 8 |
190
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4
|
19
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5
|
7
|
7
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| Cashews |
16
- 18 |
160
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4
|
13
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3
|
8
|
2
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| Hazelnuts |
18
- 20 |
180
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4
|
17
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1.5
|
13
|
2
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| Macadamias |
10
- 12 |
200
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2
|
22
|
3
|
17
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0.5
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| Peanuts
(6) |
28 |
170
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7
|
14
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2
|
7
|
4
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| Pecans |
18
- 20
halves |
200
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3
|
20
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2
|
12
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6
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Pine
nuts
(pignolias)
|
150
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157 |
160
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7
|
14
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2
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5
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6
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| Pistachios |
45
- 47 |
160
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6
|
13
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1.5
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7
|
4
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| Walnuts |
14
halves |
190
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4
|
18
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1.5
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2.5
|
13
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Source:
Adapted from the International Tree Nut Council Research and Education
Foundation publications, Nutrients in 1 Ounce of Tree Nuts and
Peanuts, January 2003<www.nuthealth.org/nutrition/nutrient1oz.html>
and Nutrition in Every Handful, August 2002, <www.nuthealth.org/inside.pdf>.
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All of the nuts are unsalted; almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts,
pecans, pine nuts and walnuts are unroasted; cashews, macadamias,
peanuts and pistachios are dry roasted.
- Figures
for fat are rounded to the nearest whole or half number so the
various types of fat may vary slightly from the amount of "total
fat."
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Sat = saturated fat
- Mono
= monounsaturated fat
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Poly = polyunsaturated fat
- Technically,
peanuts aren't nuts but rather legumes, like dry beans, peas and
lentils.
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Feel
Like a Nut?
It's easy
to nibble on nuts. Here are three quick ideas plus links to lots more.
Store shelled or unshelled nuts in an airtight container in your refrigerator
for up to 6 months or for a year in your freezer for best quality, advises
INC NREF.
1. It's in
the Bag!
You
don't have to fire up the stove or get out your cookbook to enjoy
nuts. Your handful of nuts may be enjoyed -- simply -- out of hand.
Divide
a container of nuts into small snack bags for easy snacking at home,
office or on the road, advises Ternus, INC NREF. Simply count, measure
a third cup, weigh 1 to 1.5 ounces of nuts on a kitchen scale or
grab a handful and store in each snack bag. Keep in the refrigerator
until you're ready to enjoy! A handful of nuts may help you resist
that gooey sweet roll in the breakroom at work.
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2. Just a Sprinkle
Sprinkle
nuts into these foods:
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Salads
- Yogurt
- Cereal
- Pasta
- Cooked
vegetables
- Muffins
and pancakes (toss a handful or two into your batter)
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3.
Toasting Nuts in Your Microwave
For
added richness of flavor, try this quick (takes about 5 minutes!)
recipe for microwave-toasted nuts.
Here's
a quick and cool way (with minimal cleanup) to toast nuts, based
on information from Linda Gossett, MPA, CFCS, Extension Educator
- EFNEP, University of Idaho.
This
method works well for amounts ranging from a tablespoon to 1/2
cup. With larger amounts, some are likely to turn dark quicker
than others. The time will vary depending on the size, type and
temperature of the nuts/seeds, and also may be influenced by the
type of microwave.
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Spread
from a tablespoon to 1/2 cup nuts evenly in a single layer
in a flat, microwave-safe dish, such as a 9-inch microwave-safe
pie plate.
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Add a small amount of soft butter/margarine or of oil to the
nuts. Use about 1/2 teaspoon fat per 1/2 cup of nuts; use
proportionally less for smaller amounts of nuts/seeds. Stir
the nuts/seeds to thinly coat with the fat. NOTE: This small
amount of fat helps with browning, speeds up the toasting
process and only adds about 20 calories per 1/2 cup of nuts.
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Microwave on high for 1 minute.
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Stir
and microwave for another minute.
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Check
to see how the toasting is proceeding. Add more microwave
cooking time one minute at a time, because nuts and seeds
can burn quickly. Stir after each addition of time.
Small
amounts of thin nuts (for example, sliced almonds) could be
finished at 2 minutes. Larger amounts of nuts, such as slivered
or whole almonds, walnuts or pecans will take an additional
minute or two more microwaving to become lightly browned and
smell fragrant.
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Store any extra toasted nuts in an airtight container in the
refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks or freeze them in an airtight
freezer container for 1 to 3 months.
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For
more tips and recipes for adding nuts to your meals, check these links:
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International
Nut Council's Nutrition Research and Education Foundation
www.nuthealth.org
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Special
Thanks To . . .
I'd like
to express my appreciation to my colleague, Linda Boeckner, PhD, RD, University
of Nebraska Cooperation Extension Nutrition Specialist, for her help and
suggestions as I prepared this month's Food Reflections article.
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Resources
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