Eating nuts has many benefits but you have to watch out for the calories. Nuts are a natural source of protein and high in a wide range of vitamins and nutrients. They're also a good source of fiber in your diet. At the same time, nuts are high in fat and can easily lead to weight gain, which in turn can mitigate all the healthy benefits you derived from eating them in the first place.
Prevention
Eating nuts is a good practice for anyone, from meat eaters to vegetarians and from older adults to children. Consuming 1 to 2 oz. of nuts every day can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks by as much as 60 percent, according to John Livesey, scientific officer in the Department of Endocrinology at Christ Church Hospital. Nuts are high-fiber foods that reduce your chances of developing gallstones, digestive disorders and constipation. Pistachio nuts may improve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction in men and lead to a lower risk of other conditions such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and dementia, according to Livesey.
Added Fat
Nuts are naturally high in fat and must be eaten in moderation to avoid weight gain. One ounce of nuts can contain as much as 800 calories, a sufficient amount to take up a large portion of your daily calorie budget if you're dieting. Getting your healthy fat by eating nuts is one way to keep your weight down without added empty calories because nuts also are high in protein and fill you up significantly longer than other high-fat snacks. Peanut butter and other nut butters also serve as effective ways to meet your daily fat requirements while providing you with protein and appetite-suppressing calories.
Minerals
Nuts are loaded with minerals necessary for optimum health. Nuts are an effective dietary source of magnesium required for strong bones, a healthy immune system, and nerve and muscle functions. For example, 1 oz. of dry roasted almonds contains 80 mg of magnesium and 1 oz. of cashews has 75 mg. Zinc is a mineral vital for cell development and is present in cashews and almonds as well. In 1 oz. of dry roasted almonds, you'll get about 1 mg of zinc and closer to 1.6 mg of zinc in 1 oz. of cashews.
Vitamins
Although peanuts technically are a legume and not a nut, they often are included in the category and are high in B vitamins. According to the University of Nebraska, 1 oz. of peanuts contains close to 10 percent of your daily requirement of folate and about 20 percent of your daily niacin needs. Almonds are high in vitamin E, which promotes healthy aging. One ounce, which translates to a handful or about 20 to 24 shelled nuts, gives you 35 percent of your daily E requirement. An ounce of walnuts can help you meet your daily requirement for omega-3 fatty acids.
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