The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet

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The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet

JoAnn Guest

Dec 30, 2003 16:20 PST

 

 

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 harmful fat and salted or as ingredients in cookies, candies, and

confections. I definitely advocate

the use of mostly raw or fresh raw 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' (cancer blockers), 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).

 

 

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.

 

 

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 (hydrogenated

fats

in margarines and other foods) along with

a relative 'insufficiency' of " monounsaturated " (present in EV Olive

Oil, Avocadoes, and Sesame Oil) 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.

 

Adding further support is that fact that population studies have

also

indicated that frequent

consumption of " monounsaturated " fats such as extra virgin olive

oil,

nuts, and certain nut oils and omega-3 fatty acids from cold water

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 " .

 

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

structure and function I recommend using a

pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement.

 

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.

 

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 extra virgin olive oil is by

far

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

superior.

 

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).

 

As a result, 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 extra

virgin

olive, sesame oil or macademia nut 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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2003 www.doctormurray.com

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JoAnn Guest

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DietaryTi-

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