Different varieties of nuts provide numerous health benefits, including omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, selenium and folate; however, some nuts are better than others. Good nuts include walnuts and almonds -- dense in nutrients and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Bad nuts include macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts, both of which are high in saturated fats. Saturated fats contribute to high levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol, a risk factor for hardening of the arteries and heart disease.
Walnuts
Walnuts represent the only nuts that contain alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid. According to Neil K. Kaneshiro, M.D., M.H.A. of the University of Washington School of Medicine, omega-3 fatty acids offer many health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties and anti-clotting activity in the blood. Omega 3 fatty acids also help lower blood pressure and may limit the risk of diabetes. Walnuts also contain calcium and magnesium, minerals that are essential for muscle contraction and nerve signaling.
Macadamia Nuts
Although macadamia nuts contain calcium and magnesium, they are considered a bad nut due to their high saturated fat content. One oz. of macadamia nuts contains 3.4 g of saturated fat, one of the highest counts among all varieties of nuts. According to Adrian F. Gombart, Ph.D., of the Linus Pauling Institute, saturated fats have been linked to several serious inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, diverticulitis and diabetes.
Almonds
Almonds are an extremely good nut from a nutritional standpoint. Not only do they provide excellent sources of the minerals calcium and magnesium, they also contain important vitamins such as vitamin E, folate and selenium. Selenium is a key antioxidant that helps to neutralize free radical damage in the body, regulates thyroid gland function, supports the immune system and may help combat cancer.
Brazil Nuts
The popular Brazil nut is delicious and meaty and represents a good source of calcium, magnesium and selenium. However, Brazil nuts are high in saturated fats -- 1 ounce contains 4.3 g of saturated fat -- therefore they are categorized as a bad nut. Saturated fats have been linked to high cholesterol and coronary heart disease, due to their tendency to create dangerous plaque within arterial walls that limits blood flow and causes heart attacks and strokes.
References
- Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: They're Good for Us, but Which Nut is the Best?; October 2004
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Neil K. Kaneshiro, M.D., M.H.A.; August 2009
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Calcium in Diet; Linda Vorvick, M.D.; March 2009
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium; July 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Nutrition and Inflammation; Adrian F. Gombart, Ph.D.; August 2010
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Selenium; November 2009
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