The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Among Nuts

Nuts, in the race to earn more and more, we tend to neglect our health, and then one day in panic, rush to the nearest gym, for something that we can easily manage at home. A healthy diet is a great way to start your health makeover.

Nuts are a hub of nutrition. They are those little tit bits and snacks, which are taste and health in a shell. A few nuts a day have the capability to lower your cholesterol, improve your immunity and health, and provide you with those essential anti oxidants which can make your skin glow. They are rich in proteins, vitamins and fiber.

However, every coin has a flip side to it as well, and the same applies to nuts as well. In some cases, the common consensus “Nuts are good for you” doesn’t apply. If taken in excess, the same nuts can affect your health in a negatively.

Let us take a look at some of the best and the worst options, for your health, in the nut family.

The ones that are “Best” for you-

Walnuts

We have always been told that walnuts resemble human brain, and hence are extremely beneficial in increasing memory and learning power, and in a lot of other ways. Walnuts are, and have always been the most beneficial of all the nuts in the family. These are the richest source of antioxidants, which are known to purify your body from within and making your skin glow in return, flushing out all the toxins. The fats that are found in walnuts, have one another alternative, fish, and we all know how good it is for skin, hair and health in general. So if you are not a big fan of fish, you can go for a few walnuts every day for same benefits. Also, studies suggest that having walnuts can turn around your mood. So, it is quite beneficial at the time of PMS.

Amazing Almonds

While walnuts are a rich source of antioxidants, almonds are the ones with the most fiber content. Also, these are the richest source of Vitamin E, a power packed antioxidant, which again is very good for skin that is suffering from hormonal problems and marks. If you have consulted any dermatologist, in most of the cases they always prescribe Vitamin E capsules, along with your regular medication. Almonds are also known as a part of low calorie diets, and if you follow it as a part of your low calorie diet, you can easily slip into those pants which did not fit you a few months back. Almonds are also known as the most gut friendly nuts.

Am I the only one noticing how all these nuts resemble some or the other body part? Like walnuts resemble human brain, almonds resemble the shape of eyes and cashews bear a striking resemblance to kidney. However, given their benefits, the age old saying that “nuts benefit most the organ they resemble”, is wrong. They do benefit those organs, but not primarily or essentially.

Crackling Cashews

Cashews are a rich source of iron, zinc and magnesium. It delivers oxygen to all the cells of our body, thereby preventing any chances of anemia. Zinc improves immunity and magnesium helps improving memory and also protects against the memory loss due to increasing age factor.

Blazing Brazil Nuts

These nuts are a rich source of almost 100% of daily intake value of mineral selenium, which helps in preventing cancers of various kinds, for example- bone, prostate and breast. So, it is again a very important nut to be consumed by middle aged females.

Potent Pistachios

These are the lightest of all nuts, reason being that these have the least calories, less than four per nut. Pistachios are essentially a friend for those who are on a diet. Also, eating pistachios makes you breathe easier. These are rich in antioxidant gamma-tocopherol, potassium and Vitamin B6. While the antioxidant fights cancer causing elements, potassium is healthy for nervous system, and Vitamin B6 can lift up your mood and visibly cheer you up on a moody day.

Now that we are done with 5 of the best nuts, let’s move on to the ones that may not be essentially harmful, but are not as beneficial as well. Their unhealthy factor basically comes from the excess intake i.e. if you consume more than the required quantity.

Macadamia Nuts and Pecans (For Dieting)

These nuts are not unhealthy, not in the relative sense of a way, but are not the healthiest of all as well. These are richest in calorie levels, and have a low amount of protein content as compared to other, healthier nuts. These have high fat content, which means these can easily throw you off your diet chart, and if you have a tendency to snack on these, going overboard can be very harmful indeed. So make sure that you are within the limit.

Nuts of all kinds – Tub Containers

These are not specific, but all the nuts that come in tub forms, should be avoided. These nuts come in salted and sugared forms, increasing the chances of excess consumption, while you are snacking. Also, the nuts in raw form are far more in nutritional value, than these roasted counterparts.

Nuts of all kinds – Sugar Coating


If something has nut content coated insides tones of sugar, run as fast from it as you can. Do not consume it thinking that it has a nutritional value. For instance, having a chocolate or two once a week or sparingly, for your taste buds, is fine, but having a nutty chocolate daily, thinking that it has nutritional value, is doing no good to your health. Know the good

Nuts of all kinds – Boiled Nuts

Calories, calories all the way! Do not let the word “boiled” fool you. As I have already said, nuts are good when taken in limited quantities. This limit also extends to the value of daily nutritional intake. A handful of these boiled nuts is enough to take you overboard.

So, these are the value points, which can make you healthy, wealthy and wise. These may not have a miraculous effect overnight, but will changes will be visible with prolonged and continuous usage.

So, from now on, “Go Nuts”, literally and proudly more