The Super Qualities Of Nuts
Nuts are often discredited because they are considered fattening. They aren’t, by the way. Nuts may be high in calories, but we don’t count calories around here. Nuts are a great source of healthy fat, they don’t contain any cholesterol, and they are wonderful for your heart. They are satiating, which makes them ideal as a snack. Nuts also carry with them many, many benefits. So many that you could even go as far as calling them “superfoods”.
These super benefits include:
Walnuts: Good source of protein, fibre, and magnesium. They have a high level of alpha-linolenic acid, a type of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acid.
Brazil nuts: High in selenium, which is super important for your thyroid.
Almonds: High in fibre and calcium, and an excellent source of vitamin E.
Cashews: You can get nearly 10% of your daily value of iron in a single serving of cashews. Also a good source of folate and vitamin K, which helps keep bones strong and blood clotting normally.
Pistachios: Rich in lutein, an antioxidant that’s also found in leafy greens and is important for healthy vision and skin. Plus, one serving gives you almost as much potassium as a small banana.
Macadamia nuts: High in fibre and protein, and rich in vital minerals like potassium, manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
One of the best benefits of nuts is that they can be used as a substitute for dairy. I’ve been making nut milk, cashew cream, and cashew cheesecake. I have also been adding nuts to my salads and quinoa. It’s awesome.
Click here to read about all of the culinary uses of nuts.
Click here to read why you should always soak your nuts before eating them.
What are your favourite nuts? How do you weave them into your diet?
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POSTED IN: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, nut milk, nuts, pistachios, superfoods, walnuts
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I love activated walnuts! I always throw a few into a salad to give it an extra crunch!
Home made Cacao Bliss Balls using Macadamia nuts!
I love them on my oats in the morning, with my salads at lunch and through a vegetable and brown rice stir fry at dinner time!
One of my best tricks is to always have a stash in my bag, that way if I am out at lunch and there are no non-meat/gluten free/dairy free options on the menu I can just order a plain salad (which every restaurant will do) and scatter my mixed nuts through the salad – that way I know I am having a healthy meal, and I am not missing out on eating out with friends or family! 
Lauren xxx
This is so interesting to read all the benefits of nuts. I had actually been reading a little bit about them a while ago, because I was looking for something that would help me have strong hair and nails, but after that my research didn’t go much further unfortunately. Right now I’m working on incorporating them more and more into my diet, (I’ve actually just started experimenting with different milks, your earlier post was very helpful!) and knowing all this is great encouragement for me.
Hope you’re having a great day!
I have chia seeds, psyllium husks, almond meal, a little honey, Himalayan rock salt, a few sultanas and freshly ground flaxseed and quinoa for breakfast every morning, and I believe this is what has strengthened my hair. Kind regards, Lyall
I never thought of putting these together but I’ll definitely try it…I always have a hard time figuring out what to have for breakfast anyway. Thank you!
mmmmm I love nuts. That sounds a bit wrong when I say that, but nevertheless, I LOVE NUTS!
I just made a great soup based on nuts:
1 cup of cashew with 2 cups of filtered warm water, blended very well. add a few shallots, a big handful of mint, a big handful of parsley, a cup of peas, 1 packet of defrosted spinach (or fresh, and chopped finely), 1 tbps tamari, 1 tbsp raw honey, celtic sea salt, pepper, half a lime juiced, 2 cloves of garlic. Blitz it in the blender. Add extra water to get desired consistency. Great with a piece of rye bread.
I love peanut paste BUT it doesn’t love me. It gives me horrific headaches so I use a bought spread made solely from brazil, almond and cashew nuts. Kind regards, Lyall
I eat nuts every day, if i feel hungry i just grab a handfull and im fine. Sprinkle walnuts on salads is great, almonds for cacao and coconut balls, and cashews make great cheese cakes if i feel like making a great sweet. I don’t eat meat, chicken or fish so nuts are the next best thing for me. Next in line is Avocado Thanks Jessica for the article on Nuts, do you have more information about the why and how of soaking them first?
carole » Thanks Carole! Yes, I wrote a post about that a while ago: http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2010/11/why-you-should-always-soak-nuts-seeds-grains-and-legumes-before-eating-them-%E2%80%A6/
I knew about soaking nuts to activate them, but I wasn’t really aware of the full extent of it, so I never really did it unless I was making milk. The article you just linked is so informative, I love it!
I can’t even believe how much I’ve learned over the last month since I’ve discovered your blog! I’m not even exaggerating when I’m saying that it has changed my life for the better – so a big big thank you for that!
Wishing you all the best and a great day ahead!
Ana » Thanks so much Ana! That’s so cool. xx
I love nuts so badly!
My favorite are brazil nuts, when they’re good. I’ve tasted some low quality brazil nuts, and they aren’t worth the fuss.
But I love when winter time comes around, it’s Christmas Eve and the family gather round. We always have huge tray of nuts that we crack open, with a nut cracker, or if it’s walnuts – with our bare hands!
great article, Jess! What about pine nuts? Know of the benefits? They’re usually expensive, but amazing for salads, pesto and deserts..
We’re all nuts for nuts at our place to…makes my heart sing to see my toddler popping a walnut in his mouth and asking for more!
Yuuummm! I´m a sucker for pistacios! I love any type of nut in my salads and will make annnnyy type of nut or seed butter. x
I like also, so should we soak all nuts before we eat them?
Nike » Yes absolutely! Check out this post: http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2010/11/why-you-should-always-soak-nuts-seeds-grains-and-legumes-before-eating-them-%E2%80%A6/
I love this, thank you! I just wrote an article on the super qualities of seeds I love how nuts can be used to make so many non-dairy products!
Currently sitting here cracking nuts (almonds and hazels) which is a great past-time 
I add nuts to most things I can, esp brekky when I circulate almonds, hazels, brazils, walnuts.. And yes to soaking!
Also love those ready-soaked snack nuts like Gone Nuts! Rosemary, Garlic & Green Onion Pistachio-Almond Medley. Yum!
I love the myth ‘fat is bad for you’ it is like an iceberg in out communities, huge huge huge.
When something is labeled ‘essential nutrient’, like lipds, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals.. I don’t see how people then can go around and believe thats its totally fine to cut one out – whatever.. so weird.
Anyway! YAY! NUTS!
OH! YEAH! And! When those same ppl also believe that taking animal products out of the diet is ludicrous and super bad for your body and very much un-doable when trying to achieve optimal health!
Oh lordy lord. Funny shit.
Hi Jess,
I’ve heard its important to pre-soak and rinse nuts before eating, so that the body can easily digest the proteins that nuts provide…do you know anything about this?
Thanks!!
Crystal
oops!! I just read your article on why you should always soak your nuts before eating!! Thanks!!