In recent years,
the incorporation of walnuts, almonds and pistachios, among other nuts, into the diet of many people has been notable
.
This progressive increase in their consumption is, in all likelihood, due to the various information campaigns that highlight the healthy properties of these foods and their numerous health benefits.
Although nuts are highly caloric
, which may have held back many consumers over the years,
they are also very satiating.
This allows you to control your appetite, so its consumption is recommended to maintain weight and even in weight loss diets.
This is indicated by various scientific studies, including one from the University of South Australia published in the scientific journal European Journal of Nutrition, which concludes that a snack of 30-50 g of almonds can help people reduce the number of calories. that they consume daily and, therefore, lose weight.
The benefits of eating nuts
The health benefits of moderate consumption of nuts are countless, and this is confirmed by numerous scientific research.
According to the research review Nut consumption and cognitive function, published in the journal Hospital Nutrition, nuts
are beneficial on the incidence of several chronic diseases and mortality rates in general.
Furthermore, being rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, they also have a definitive role in neurogenesis, so their effectiveness has been demonstrated in the treatment of previous phases of dementia.
The Spanish Heart Foundation recommends their consumption as part of a balanced diet and highlights that
"they are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (which reduce the level of LDL or 'bad' cholesterol) and blood lipids."
Pistachio, the fashionable nut.
In addition, they provide fiber, proteins, vitamins (among which vitamin E stands out, a powerful antioxidant), folic acid and minerals, as well as plant sterols, phytoestrogens and other phytonutrients.
The doctor and nutritionist Núria Monfulleda, from the Loveyourself center in Barcelona, recommends its daily consumption even in weight loss diets, since its
highly satiating effect can help avoid binge eating.
“We have a deep-rooted belief that nuts make us fat, and although it is true that they are caloric, it is also true that they are very satiating.
Therefore, a handful of fruits at snack, combined with some protein from, for example, a whole natural yogurt without sugar, will allow us to be full for dinner and avoid overeating at the end of the day, which is exactly what we should avoid and is not always achieved,” explains the expert.
Nuts contain vitamin E. Photo Shutterstock.
Nutritionist Júlia Farré, ambassador of California Walnuts, agrees with her, and recommends eating a handful a day.
“In general terms,
for healthy adults it is advisable to eat 30 g of nuts a day
, although this amount is only approximate.
People who play sports or who have more energy expenditure can reach 40-50 g, while those who have a sedentary activity, menopausal women or people who want to lose weight, 15 g will be enough.
How to preserve nuts
The good thing about walnuts and other dried fruits is that they are easy to preserve and not perishable if treated correctly.
What few people know is that
it is best to store them in the refrigerator, although they are also stored correctly outside.
Nuts can be allies in a weight loss diet.
Farré explains: “It is always preferable to store both walnuts and other dried fruits in the refrigerator.
Not because they spoil, but because they better preserve their organoleptic properties.
Since they are foods that we usually have for a long time,
they will be less bitter in the refrigerator and will retain their flavor better.”
This is confirmed by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), which remembers that nuts do not expire and that the best before dates that we find on the packaging are purely indicative to indicate the moment from which they may lose their organoleptic properties.
The ideal, according to Farré, is to keep peeled walnuts and other dried fruits
in the refrigerator for a maximum of 6 months and when this time is exceeded, store them in the freezer.
Shelled nuts last a long time outside the refrigerator.
Photo Shutterstock.
To do this, the nutritionist recommends using
freezer bags that seal hermetically,
“trying to leave as little air as possible inside, since contact with oxygen can affect its properties.”
To consume them, just take the nuts out of the freezer a little before consumption.
It is important to be especially careful in summer
, when temperatures exceed 20ºC, as an oxidation process can occur that could give rise to a rancid flavor.
It is best that they be at a temperature that ranges between 4ºC and 20ºC,
so the refrigerator is always the optimal option.
Farré recalls that
shelled nuts “hold a long time, so they can be kept out of the refrigerator for several months.”
With information from La Vanguardia.