The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet

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The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet JoAnn Guest Jul 18, 2003 12:58

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The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet

 

Introduction

 

Nuts and seeds are the vehicle for plant reproduction. Locked inside

them is the potential for an entire plant. It is truly amazing to think

that a giant oak tree began its life as an acorn. A nut commonly refers

to the shell-encased seeds of a tree, however, one of the chief foods

that we consider as a nut, the peanut, does not fit the strict

definition of a nut as it is actually a legume.

 

In the United States, peanuts are by far the leading nut crop as they

account for greater than 70% of the yearly nut production. Peanuts are

followed by almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Unfortunately, most nuts are

being consumed after they have been fried in fat and salted or as

ingredients in cookies, candies, and confections. I definitely advocate

the use of mostly raw or lightly roasted fresh nuts and seeds rather

than commercially roasted and salted nuts and seeds.

 

 

Health benefits

 

As more Americans are seeking healthier food choices, nut and seed

consumption is on the rise. Nuts and seeds provide excellent human

nutrition, they are especially good sources of essential fatty acids,

vitamin E, protein, and minerals. They also provide valuable fiber

components, important phytonutrients in nuts and seeds include protease

inhibitors, ellagic acid, and other polyphenols.

 

Because of the high oil content of nuts and seeds, one would suspect

that the frequent consumption of nuts would increase the rate of

obesity. But, in a large population study of 26,473 Americans it was

found that the people who consumed the most nuts were less obese. A

possible explanation is that the nuts produced satiety, a feeling of

appetite satisfaction. This same study also demonstrated that higher nut

consumption was associated with a protective effect against heart

attacks (both fatal and nonfatal). Four other large studies, including

the Nurses Health Study, the Iowa Health Study, and the Physicians

Health Study, all found that nut consumption is linked to a lower risk

for heart disease. Researchers who studied data from the Nurses Health

Study estimated that substituting nuts for an equivalent amount of

carbohydrate in an average diet resulted in a 30% reduction in heart

disease risk. Researchers calculated even more impressive risk

reduction--45%--when fat from nuts was substituted for saturated fats

(found primarily found in meat and dairy products).1

 

 

Nuts Provide Arginine

 

Nuts are the best dietary source for arginine - an amino acid that plays

an important role in wound healing, detoxification reactions, immune

functions, and promoting the secretion of several hormones including

insulin and growth hormone. Recently there has been a considerable

amount of scientific investigation regarding arginine's role in the

formation of nitric oxide. This compound plays a central role in

determining the tone of blood vessels. Specifically, it exerts a

relaxing effect on blood vessels thereby improving blood flow. Normally,

the body makes enough arginine, even when the diet is lacking. However,

in some instances the body may not be able to keep up with increased

requirements and higher dietary intakes may prove useful.

 

Arginine supplementation has been shown to boost immune function and be

beneficial in a number of cardiovascular diseases including angina

pectoris, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and peripheral

vascular insufficiency (decreased blood flow to the legs or arms). By

increasing nitric oxide levels, arginine supplementation improves blood

flow, reduces blood clot formation, and improves blood fluidity (the

blood becomes less viscous and, therefore, flows through blood vessels

more easily). The degree of improvement offered by arginine

supplementation in angina and other cardiovascular diseases can be quite

significant as a result of improved nitric oxide levels. These benefits

may also be attainable by eating foods high in arginine like nuts.2

 

 

Nut Consumption and Diabetes Risk

 

Nut consumption has also been shown to lower the risk for diabetes. This

benefit may relate to their ability to improve cell membrane structure

and function. According to modern pathology, or the study of disease

processes, an alteration in cell membrane function is the central factor

in the development of virtually every disease. As it relates to

diabetes, abnormal cell membrane structure due to eating the wrong types

of fats lead to impaired action of insulin.

 

The type of dietary fat profile linked to type 2 diabetes is an

abundance of saturated fat and trans fatty acids (margarine) along with

a relative insufficiency of monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids. One

of the key reasons appears to be the fact that since dietary fat

determines cell membrane composition such a dietary pattern leads to

reduced membrane fluidity which in turn causes reduced insulin binding

to receptors on cellular membranes and/or reduced insulin action.

Particularly harmful to cell membrane function are margarine and other

foods containing trans fatty acids and partially hydrogenated oils.

 

In contrast, to the dampening of insulin sensitivity caused by margarine

and saturated fats, clinical studies have shown that monounsaturated

fats and omega-3 oils improve insulin action.3 Adding further support is

that fact that population studies have also indicated that frequent

consumption of monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, nuts, and nut

oils and omega-3 fatty acids from fish protect against the development

of type 2 diabetes. For example, one recent study showed that that

consumption of nuts was inversely associated with risk of type 2

diabetes, independent of known risk factors for type 2 diabetes,

including age, obesity, family history of diabetes, physical activity,

smoking, and other dietary factors. What the term inversely associated

means is that the higher the intake of nuts, the less likely a woman

would develop type 2 diabetes. What was really amazing was that this

relationship was seen even in woman who were obese.4

 

In addition to nut consumption, in order to improve cell membrane

structure and function I recommend using RxOmega-3 Factors - a

pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement from Natural Factors. The

benefits of the omega-3 oils from fish oils well known. Adding a fish

oil supplement to your daily routine provides extra insurance that you

are getting sufficient levels of these important oils. Using a high

quality fish oil supplement is the perfect solution to people wanting

the health benefits of fish oils without the mercury and other

contaminants often found in fish. Each capsule of RxOmega-3 Factors

provides 600 mg of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (400 mg EPA/200 mg

DHA). We recommend one capsule daily for general health, if greater

support is needed the dosage increases to two to three capsules daily.

 

 

Cooking with Nut Oils

 

The best oils to cook with in baking recipes, stir fries, and sautés,

are the monounsaturated oils. While olive oil and canola oil are by far

the most popular monounsaturated fats in use, nut oils may prove

superior to both. In particular, macadamia nut oil is superior to cook

with because of lower level of polyunsaturated oil (3% for macadamia nut

oil vs. 8% for olive and 23% for canola). As a result, while olive oil

and canola oil can form lipid peroxides at relatively low cooking

temperatures, macadamia nut oil is stable at much higher temperatures

(over twice that of olive oil and four times more stable than canola).

Macadamia oil, like olive oil is also very high in natural

anti-oxidants. In fact it contains over 4.5 times the amount of vitamin

E as olive oil. For more information on macadamia nut oil, visit

www.macnutoil.com.

 

 

Selecting and Storing Nuts and Seeds

 

In general, nuts and seeds, due to their high oil content, are best

purchased and stored in their shells. The shell is a natural protector

against free radical damage caused by light and air. Make sure the

shells are free from splits, cracks, stains, holes, or other surface

imperfections. Do not eat or use moldy nuts or seeds as this may not be

safe. Also avoid limp, rubbery, dark, or shriveled nut meats. Store nuts

and seeds with shells in a cool, dry environment. If whole nuts and

seeds with their shells are not available, make sure they are stored in

air-tight containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Crushed, slivered,

and nut pieces are most often rancid. Prepare your own from the whole

nut if a recipe calls for these.

 

In addition to simply eating nuts and seeds as snacks, they can be added

to many foods for the unique flavor. With the aid of a food processor,

nut and seed butters can be prepared. Most nuts and seeds have enough

natural oils, but occasionally you may need to add some additional oil.

Keep nut butters in air-tight containers in the refrigerator.

 

 

Practical Application

 

Try to have at least one serving of nuts or seeds (one serving equals

1/4 cup) and 3 tablespoons of the healthy oils daily. Use olive,

macadamia, or canola oil to replace the butter, margarine, and

shortening that you use for cooking. Use flaxseed or olive oil in

homemade salad dressings. Avoid using safflower, sunflower, soy and corn

oil because they contain too much omega 6 fatty acid.

 

My last recommendation is to try to mix it up a bit, by eating a variety

of nuts and seeds such as almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans,

flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

 

 

 

Key References:

 

Hu FB, Stampfer MJ. Nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease:

a review of epidemiologic evidence. Curr Atheroscler Rep

1999;1(3):204-9, 1999

Flynn NE, Meininger CJ, Haynes TE, Wu G. The metabolic basis of arginine

nutrition and pharmacotherapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2002;56(9):427-38.

Rivellese AA, De Natale C, Lilli S. Type of dietary fat and insulin

resistance. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002;967:329-35.

Jiang R, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, et al. Nut and peanut butter

consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. JAMA

2002;288(20):2554-60.

 

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