There’S No Need To Avoid Nuts; Just Exercise Moderation

When was the last time you had a spoonful of peanut butter and washed it down with a glass of cold milk?

It’s probably been quite a while.

When low-fat diets began to emerge in the 1970s, nuts and nut butters made the “must-avoid” list for people concerned about weight management, heart disease and diabetes. Recent studies show that nuts can help lower cholesterol levels, but most people continue to shun them.

There’s no need to. Nuts and nut butters offer respectable amounts of vitamins A, C, E and folate, along with such minerals as calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. They also contain phytochemicals such as carotenoids, flavonoids, indoles and phenolic acid that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions.

There’s a plethora of nuts and nut butters available at supermarkets and health-food stores. Peanuts are considered a nut, but surprisingly belong to the pea or legume family. Cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamias and brazils are part of the fruit of the tree. But unlike most fruits, they’re low in carbohydrates and higher in protein and fat.

An average apple contains 15 to 20 grams of carbohydrate, and 60 to 80 calories. By comparison, two tablespoons of nuts contains about 100 calories, but only three grams of carbohydrate. There’s one or two grams each of dietary fiber and protein, and four to six grams of healthful monounsaturated fat, which reduces “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and elevates “good” (HDL) cholesterol.

There’s not a significant caloric difference between dry-roasted nuts and oil-roasted nuts, such as those sold at the Nut Factory in the Spokane Valley.

Oil-roasting brings out more flavor while adding minimal amounts of fat. The more porous a nut, the more oil it will absorb during roasting. Macadamias and cashews are softer and more porous than almonds, for example, and therefore absorb slightly more oil. If you’re trying to avoid sodium, raw, unsalted nuts are your best choice.

Nutrition labels usually list nuts by the ounce, but few people know what an ounce looks like. It’s roughly three tablespoons of nuts, which packs 150 to 190 calories - a decent-sized snack for the average desk-bound person.

Keeping a serving of nuts to three tablespoons can be like eating just one potato chip. Your brain knows you’ve consumed the calories, but your stomach doesn’t register the bulk necessary to feel satisfied. Adding a small piece of fruit or some vegetables can help fill the gap.

Be careful with nuts if you’re inclined toward compulsive or binge eating. It’s fairly easy for the average person who’s skipped lunch to devour a half-cup of nuts, containing a whopping 400 to 500 calories with 40 grams of fat. Even though it’s healthful fat, it’s too much of a good thing.

A good method for controlling your intake of nuts is to never eat more than you can fit into your closed hand. I also recommend portion-sizing the nuts into zip-lock baggies, and taking only one bag per day.

Nut butters also can be easy to overeat. Two tablespoons of Adams’ 100 Percent Natural Peanut Butter - the kind where you have to stir in the oil - contains 200 calories, seven grams each of protein and carbohydrate, two grams of fiber and 16 grams of mostly monounsaturated fat.

Packing a quarter-cup of peanut butter onto two slices of bread can add up to 600 calories, even before the jelly. Keep peanut butter to two tablespoons per serving, unless you need to put on a few pounds (or you’re snowshoeing on Mount Spokane or bicycling to Coeur d’Alene).

Pre-stirred peanut butter is convenient, but it usually contains unhealthy hydrogenated oils and possibly some added sugar; be sure to read the label. To make the natural type easier to stir, try taking the lid off and heating the jar in the microwave for one minute before stirring.

If you don’t like the taste of peanut butter, try almond butter. Kettle makes a delicious roasted version that’s lightly salted. Two tablespoons packs 11 grams of monounsaturated fat - one of the most concentrated sources for boosting your good cholesterol.

More adventurous eaters might want to try the hazelnut, macadamia or pecan butters available at Huckleberry’s or Fred Meyer. Expect to pay two to three times the cost of peanut butter.

Some nut-butter aficionados like to grind their own. Huckleberry’s and Meyer have nut-grinding equipment; simply scoop the nuts into the grinder, hit the switch and catch the swirling mass of nut butter into the plastic containers that are provided.

Including nuts and nut butters in your eating plan can be beneficial, but you need to carefully control portion sizes. A handful of nuts and a small apple makes a great late-afternoon snack. And a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter goes well with a milk mustache before bedtime.