Nuts and Seeds
In this post, we will differentiate between nuts and seeds, and identify their benefits to you. We will also want to investigate whether they are good for you or not.
Usually, nuts are covered by hard shells while seeds do not necessarily have shells. Seeds can be allowed to germinate but nuts cannot. Seeds include legumes and grains in addition to nuts.
Seeds
Certain seeds contain fats while others do not. Are also high in fat and contain multiple nutrients. Seeds also contain B vitamins, vitamin E, minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium etc, fibre and protein. The content of fat varies from seed to seed with seeds such as sesame seeds and hemp seeds being amongst those with the highest fat content.
Examples of seeds include:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pawpaw seed
- Sesame seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Sunflower seeds
Nuts
Nuts are also rich sources of B vitamins and vitamin E. They also have minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium etc, fibre and protein. They contain high fat content- majorly unsaturated fats which is good for you. The intake of nuts is beneficial to your health as ascribed to the healthy fat, and numerous nutrients. ‘
Types of nuts include:
Some nuts are more available and accessible in certain geographical locations than others. Moreover, the names used to refer to the fats or oils ejected from the nuts and seeds may vary with location and cultural context.
- Macadamia nuts-mainly used for confectionery, and are found in some parts of Africa, Hawaii, USA.
- Almonds-found in south Africa, USA, Australia, the Mediterranean region.
- Cashew nuts-mainly found in East Africa, India, Brazil
- Hazel nuts-mainly found in Canada , USA
- Pistacchios-mainly found in China, Italy, India and USA.
- Walnuts-mainly found in America, Asia and Europe.
- Pecans -mainly found in North America.
- Acorn
- Brazil nuts-found in Brazil- contain high selenium content.
- Pine nuts– mainly found in the Mediterranean region, Asia, North Africa, China and Italy.
Are Nuts And Seeds Really Good For You?
Yes, they are considered healthy as they not only provide you with adequate nutrients but also with healthy fats. Therefore, you should integrate them in your diet. In fact, include a variety of nuts and seeds in your diet. You can apply different cooking methods when preparing them i.e. roasting, baking etc or even cook them as a meal by mixing with either legumes or grains.
Also, certain nuts contain omega -3 fatty acids e.g. walnuts, and mind you not many food sources contain omega-3 fatty acids; hence, consume various nuts and seeds as they allow you to obtain these essential fatty acids that are important for your cardiovascular health and for healthy eyes.
The issue only comes in when they are over-consumed- actually this is the case for even other healthy foods. Because the excess intake of any food implies high energy intake which can lead to being overweight in turn increasing the likelihood of unwanted health outcomes.
Since they are high calorie foods due to high fat amounts, even a smaller portion can contribute to additional calorie intake than required. You can only imagine then, how much calories you consume when you over-consume them. For instance, a handful of either nuts or seeds already provides you with approximately 45 kilo calories. Also, they contain poly-unsaturated fats, and while polyunsaturated fats are considered healthy, it is usually advisable that their intake be balanced with that of mono-unsaturated fats from sources such as canola, avocadoes, etc. because high intake of poly-unsaturated fats , or any fats for that matter, can cause health conditions that impair your cardiovascular health.
The key objective is not to avoid nuts and seeds because they are vital in your diet. It is recommended however, that they are consumed moderately. Usually , for most, about a handful of them (about 30 grams per day) should be okay . You should also aim to include a variety of them.