Go Nuts for Nuts!

Are you a big nut eater?

Nuts have so many great health properties, but eat too many when  you're watching your weight, and you could see the numbers on the scale go up.

Here is some great information on calories in nuts, fat grams in nuts:

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NUTS for Nutrition Alice Henneman, MS, RD, Extension Educator ahenneman1@unl.edu University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension - Lancaster County

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.” 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 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. For more information and a copy of the DASH diet, go to:www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash 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: 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. 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. 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." 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. To learn more about how to read a Nutrition Facts labels, checkwww.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/dietguide2000/build5.htm 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). One-third cup of nuts is the quantity mentioned in the Food Guide Pyramid and the Dash Diet. The Food Guide Pyramid counts 1/3 cup of nuts or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter as 1 ounce of meat (about 1/3 serving) in its "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts" food group. <www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm> The DASH Diet to help lower blood pressure counts 1/3 cup or 1.5 ounces of nuts as equal to 1 serving from its "nuts, seeds and dry beans" grouping. <www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf> 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: Number of shelled nuts per ounce or handful nuts (picture, PDF format) Nutrients (including calories) in one ounce of shelled tree nuts and peanuts (chart) Nutrients in 1 Ounce (28 grams) of Shelled Tree Nuts and Peanuts (1) Nut Nuts per 1 oz./ 28 grams Calories Protein Fat (2) Total Sat (3) Mono (4) Poly(5) Almonds 20 - 24 160 6 14 1 9 3 Brazil nuts 6 - 8 190 4 19 5 7 7 Cashews 16 - 18 160 4 13 3 8 2 Hazelnuts 18 - 20 180 4 17 1.5 13 2 Macadamias 10 - 12 200 2 22 3 17 0.5 Peanuts (6) 28 170 7 14 2 7 4 Pecans 18 - 20 halves 200 3 20 2 12 6 Pine nuts(pignolias) 150 - 157 160 7 14 2 5 6 Pistachios 45 - 47 160 6 13 1.5 7 4 Walnuts 14 halves 190 4 18 1.5 2.5 13 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>. 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." Sat = saturated fat Mono = monounsaturated fat Poly = polyunsaturated fat Technically, peanuts aren't nuts but rather legumes, like dry beans, peas and lentils.