Health Matters – an A to Z Guide to Good Health – N is for Nuts

Health Matters – an A to Z Guide to Good Health – N is for Nuts

Nuts are one of nature’s richest foods. They contain good quality vegetable protein and are high in fat as oil. There are over 300 different varieties of nuts which are mostly the fruit or seed that follows the blossoming of the tree and are usually protected with a hard shell.

🥜 Nuts are full of potential life they are the part of the tree that can procreate the same species and are packed with nutrients.

🥜 Nuts contain most of the B vitamins, high levels of vitamin E and the minerals magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and potassium.

🥜 Almonds are one of my favourite healthy snack foods, they contain 20% protein with 60% fat which is good polyunsaturated fat and high in linoleic acid, our main essential oil.

🥜 If you want to lose weight then reduce your saturated fat intake e.g. meat and eat nuts in moderation. Please contact me for details of my Healthy Lifestyle Weight Reduction Programme if you are struggling!

It is really best to buy nuts in their shells to ensure they are fresh, once nuts are shelled they should be kept in a cool dry place in an air-tight container. Care should be taken when purchasing nuts as the fat content makes them susceptible to turning rancid, use your sense of smell to check and never eat nuts that smell bad.

Nuts are also prone to contamination with moulds called mycotoxins which may be carcinogenic so you need to be discerning purchasers when buying nuts. Nut allergies can be fatal so be aware of this. Care must also be taken with children under four because there is a risk of choking. I better mention peanuts (groundnuts) which are not really nuts but legumes and are one of the most common food allergens.

Live with joy and health. 💚

Elizabeth Beetham