They may not be quinoa, but nuts are still health and nutrition superstars. And, considering that they are more readily available than quinoa, have lots of raw flavour and offer a variety of options so you won’t get bored of them too soon, you can make reasonable arguments that nuts are a better choice.
What Makes Nuts so Good?
While different varieties of nuts offer different nutritional values, they all share certain nutritional traits that are top-of-the-list for healthy eating.
- Protein – Nuts are a great way to get the calories you need from protein, without worrying about getting too much of the saturated fat that comes from other protein sources, like meat and dairy
- Good Fats – Some nuts contain more fats than others, but all of them are a good source of the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that help lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
- Fibre – All nuts are a great source of fibre and that makes them one of the great snack foods of all time. Nuts fill you up faster than the empty calories of chips and pretzels, so you have less chance of overeating.
What’s the Best Nut for Weight Loss?
With such a wide variety of nutritional profiles, it’s difficult to pick one nut over another as the absolute best for any diet or nutrition goal. But if you had to choose one that’s commonly available, not too expensive and quite tasty – all while still being great for watching your weight, it would be:
The Almond
At 160 calories per ounce, almonds, cashews and pistachios have the fewest calories of all nuts. But almonds are higher in protein and just slightly higher in fats (remember, they are good fats. In fact, almonds have the lowest level of saturated fats of any nut.)
Almonds also offer more nutrition than most nuts, which helps to maintain your energy levels during weight loss. They have the most Vitamin E and fibre, the second highest levels of potassium and protein (peanuts have the highest level of protein), and are a good source of calcium.
Like other healthy foods, almonds are not a magic pill. They should be part of a healthy, balanced diet. Your local nutritional specialist can help you make almonds a delicious part of your weight management program.