Nuts surprise by the high amount and variety of nutrientsmany of them essentials in our diet. The high quality composition is due to the simple fact that they are seeds and, as such, their mission is to form a new plant when the environmental conditions allow it, so it must contain the nutrients for the early stages of development of the plant. new plant.
Nuts have a water content less than 50%, characteristic that differentiates them from other fruits. For this reason, it is characteristic that when they mature the texture is not soft.
The vast majority of nuts respond to the following general macronutrient profile:
- rich in fat, between 30 – 65%, especially in poly and monounsaturated acids
- protein, between 10 and 25% approximately
- carbohydrates from 15 to 30%, with a low proportion of simple sugars (2-6%)
- the water content is less than 50%
There are exceptions, for example the chestnut, which only meets the moisture criteria, the protein and fat content are in very low amounts and the carbohydrate content reaches 50%.
| (g in 100g) | Energy (Kcal) | protein | carbohydrates | lipids | Fiber | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| almonds | 575 | 21.22 | 21.67 | 49.42 | 12.2 | ||
| cashews | 553 | 18.22 | 30.19 | 43.85 | 3.3 | ||
| hazelnuts | 628 | 14.95 | 16.70 | 60.75 | 9.7 | ||
| peanuts | 567 | 25.80 | 16.13 | 49.24 | 8.5 | ||
| chestnuts | 213 | 2.42 | 45.54 | 2.26 | 8.1 | ||
| Walnuts | 654 | 15.23 | 13.71 | 65.21 | 6.7 | ||
| brazil nuts | 656 | 14.32 | 12.27 | 66.43 | 7.5 | ||
| pecans | 691 | 9.17 | 13.86 | 71.97 | 9.6 | ||
| Pinions | 629 | 11.57 | 19.30 | 60.98 | 10.7 | ||
| pistachios | 557 | 20.61 | 27.97 | 44.44 | 10.3 | ||
| Source: Gil, A. Treatise on nutrition, Volume II: Composition and nutritional quality of food. | |||||||
Therefore, they have a clearly oily profile with high caloric intake. But, far from being empty calories, they are accompanied by a healthy lipid profile with a high content of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins of high biological quality, low content of simple carbohydrates and high content of essential minerals and vitamins.
Essential Nutrients in Nuts
The fat content of nuts is one of its main characteristics. Its lipid profile is very healthy and one of the reasons why it is recommended to include nuts in our diet on a regular basis, from 3 to 7 times a week. The content of saturated fatty acids is minimal compared to that of poly and monounsaturated fatty acids, also known as "healthy fats":
- Oleic acid (18:1): also present in olive oil, it is the most abundant monounsaturated fatty acid in nuts. It is found in high amounts in hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans.
- Linoleic acid (18:2) and linolenic acid (18:3 n-3): most nuts contain significant amounts of these polyunsaturated fatty acids. Nuts stand out.
The protein content is found with an average of 16%, being peanuts (it is actually a legume) the ones that contribute the most with 26% protein in its composition. All nuts provide argininea non-essential amino acid but with numerous functions in the body: it helps maintain or increase muscle mass, regulates the secretion of hormones (notably insulin and growth hormone) and increases the number and mobility of sperm, among many others functions.
We see clinical supplementation with arginine in patients in catabolic situations, major surgery, ischemia, ulcerations or digestive trauma. On the other hand, it is widely known by athletes, who consume it in the pre-workout phase. One of the main reasons is the effect of nitric oxide, which is formed from arginine and has very important physiological functions such as vasodilator action.
The low amount of simple carbohydrates makes nuts have a low glycemic index. On the other hand, they provide relatively high amount of dietary fiber. A serving of nuts (25 – 30 g) provides around 3 – 4 g of fiber, which represents a significant proportion of the amount of total fiber that should be consumed per day (25 – 30 g/day). Almonds have the most dietary fiber with 12 g per 100 g.
In the vitamin content of dried fruits, the following stand out: fat soluble vitaminsmore specifically the Vitamin E (almonds and hazelnuts) and Vitamin A (pistachios). And regarding water-soluble vitamins, nuts provide significant amounts of several B vitamins, especially thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin (B3) and riboflavin (B2).
Nuts are also well known for the excellent mineral contentespecially from calcium (high in almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts), iron (pistachios, pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts), magnesium (Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, pine nuts), match (cashews, almonds, pistachios), potassium (pistachios, peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts), selenium (Brazil nuts, cashews), zinc (cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans, pine nuts) and copper (cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts).
Apart from everything mentioned, nuts have very important amounts of antioxidants such as flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol and carotenoidsyes Hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and almonds stand out.
Most important beneficial effects
Nuts have a antiatherogenic effect due not only to the content of "healthy fats" (poly and monounsaturated) but also to its overall composition. The arginine content, low in saturated fats and high in poly and monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, high fiber content, phytosterols and other phytochemicals, magnesium and copper, are responsible for this effect. so beneficial for cardiovascular health.
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, there are studies on the prevention and control of this disease and the role of nuts. These could improve the lipid profile due to the low glycemic index, although the studies are not entirely conclusive.
They are also an excellent alternative to milk and dairy products as a source of calcium and can help patients with osteoporosis (almonds can provide around 240 mg of calcium per 100 g).
However, they cannot be consumed by everyone. Some people have allergic reactions to nuts that are usually intense and appear quickly, practically immediately after consumption. These people should avoid nuts at all costs while for the rest they are an excellent source of nutrients and a food that should be consumed on a regular basis.