Nuts are increasingly being recognized as super foods with an abundance of phytonutrients and biochemical compounds that support wellness. Nuts contain body-building protein, heart-healthy fats, disease-fighting antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals and few carbohydrates.
Peanuts
Peanuts, technically legumes, are popular for their protein. A handful of peanuts or roughly 100 peanuts, provides 9 g protein, 17 g fat, 5 g carbohydrate and 200 calories. Peanut protein is highly bioavailable and the American Peanut Council states that 1 oz. provides more than 10 percent of your daily protein requirement. Like all nuts, peanuts have zero cholesterol; instead, they contain mono- and polyunsaturated fats that promote arterial health. Peanuts are high in vitamin E, also folate, which, according to Healthy Heart Guide, moderates blood-levels of homocysteine, a protein byproduct linked to heart disease. Peanuts also contain zinc, selenium, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and vitamin B-6.
Walnuts
Walnuts are slightly lower in protein than peanuts but much higher in essential fatty acids, especially the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. The World's Healthiest Foods states that walnuts outrank almost all other nuts for highest total antioxidant levels. They are particularly high in two minerals: magnesium, required for muscle and nerve function and copper, essential for hemoglobin formation. One handful of shelled walnuts or five to six whole nuts, has 4.7 g protein, 20 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate and 200 calories.
Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts' claim to fame is their protein. They are the only nuts with complete protein, a rarity in the plant world. Seven whole Brazil nuts contain 4.2 g protein and approximately 200 calories. High in fiber and low in sodium, Brazil nuts also contribute calcium, iron, zinc and selenium, a trace mineral required for antioxidant formation.
Cashews
Cashews are lower in fat and higher in carbohydrates than many other nuts. Per 1/4 cup, cashews have 6.5 g protein, 15.8 g fat and 10 g carbohydrate. They are rich in oleic acid, an essential fatty acid also found in olive oil and that contributes to cardiovascular health. Cashews are excellent sources of copper, a trace mineral described by World's Healthiest Foods as vital to energy production and the health of bones and blood vessels.
Almonds
High in calcium, almonds also contribute significant fiber and antioxidants that contribute to healthy digestive and metabolic function. Per 1/4 cup or approximately 20 nuts and 200 calories, almonds contain 7.6 g protein, nearly equal to peanuts. They have 18 g fat and 7 g carbohydrate. Nuts for Almonds calls them potent cancer-fighters due to their high levels of antioxidants and vitamin E. Almonds also contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc.
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