Some people think it’s healthy to eat a few nuts a day but most of us would never eat more than about a cup of almonds per day, according to a new study.
“Most of us eat nuts because they’re nut-rich and they’re tasty, so why aren’t we eating more?” said Dr. William B. Balsamo, the study’s lead author and professor of nutrition science at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
“It may be that we’re eating too much of the nut,” he said.
People are eating too little of nuts, especially in the U.S., because we’re consuming too much processed foods and sugar, he added.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating an average of one to two servings of nuts daily, and consuming two to three servings of walnuts daily.
The AHA has also lowered the recommended daily intake of nuts and other nuts from four servings to two.
Dr. Blesamo, who serves on the board of directors for the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Federation, and Dr. Mark R. Hodge, the director of the Center for Nutritional Science at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, recently released the first-ever study on the nutritional impact of nuts.
“We have to start doing nut-centric research now, because there’s no point for people to continue eating so much and not being able to eat enough,” Dr. Hinkle said.
Nutritional value of nuts varies widely from individual to individual.
Almonds, for instance, are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they can lower your risk of coronary heart disease, according a 2015 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
They are also a source of protein and fiber.
Almond flour, a type of white flour, is high in protein, and nuts are rich sources of those nutrients, as well.
A 2013 study published by the American Diabetes Association found that the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in nuts was similar to that in red meat and fish, which is considered healthy.
“The evidence for nut consumption is clear,” Drs.
Belsamo and Hodge said in a statement.
“Research shows that the health benefits of nuts are far greater than the benefits from their oil content or saturated fat content.
There is a wide range of nuts in the diet, ranging from whole nuts, nuts, seeds and sprouts to nuts and seeds only.
So, nuts provide a multitude of nutrients to a wide variety of people.
We need to move away from thinking about nuts only as a food source.”
“Nutritional value varies greatly from individual,” said Drs Belsamos and Hinkle, who are both on the advisory board of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
“There are so many different types of nuts out there.
And we need to look at them in a whole variety of ways.”
For example, almonds are high in omega-2 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health.
But the AHA does not recommend people limit their nuts consumption to one or two servings a day.
Drs Hodge and Belsama said they hope their findings will encourage people to get more nuts into their diets and make nut consumption more feasible for those who want to be healthy.