Ahh, nuts… Is there ever to be a more perfect snack? Before everyone floods my comments section, let me be clear that I’m only half serious. Nuts are a great snack, an easy way to take the tinge off one’s hunger and can help on certain levels of health. Unfortunately, if you buy them in bulk they can be a pain in the ass due to the required shelling. If you buy them already shelled, they cost half a fortune.
As with all things in life, there’s good and bad to everything but nuts are pretty good, overall. I’ve recently taken a habit of keeping a few bags of varied nuts at the office and at home. They’re incredibly handy when hunger strikes and mealtime is a fair ways away, or you brought very little and feel you may need to supplement. Let’s examine a few reasons why you should include nuts in your diet, shall we?
According to an article posted by HealthLine.com (I know, I haven’t quoted them in forever), there are a number of benefits to consuming nuts including but not limited to the inclusion of plenty of nutrients, fibre and antioxidants. The article suggest that the consumption of nuts can also help lower cholesterol and could potentially aid with weight loss.
This doesn’t mean you can sit and binge on an entire bag of salted peanuts at your leisure and expect to lose weight. One needs to bear in mind the increase in sodium intake. If possible, get your nuts salt-free. As with all things in life, a little bit doesn’t hurt. You just can’t overdo it and that previously-mentioned weight loss will only happen if one includes healthy lifestyle choices, such as proper diet and exercise. But I digress.
The big thing for me is the inclusion of fibre. Fibre is an important staple of a healthy diet because you need it for proper gut health, muscle repair and helps you to feel fuller for longer, reducing the portion of your meal and helping with weight loss. While the average adult should be consuming the higher end of 30 grams of fibre or more per day, a small serving of peanuts will give you a few grams of that total and help you along. Not bad, indeed.
The nice thing with nuts is there are tons of varieties and they can be used in many different ways. They can be used as butters (duh, peanut butter), tossed on top of your favourite salad or in your smoothie for a little added crunch or simply eaten by the handful. Just remember what I said… Although they’re better for you than eating a bag of chips or candy, moderation is still key. And if you enjoy some of the flavoured varieties, keep an eye on that sodium count. Now, let’s get nuts! ☯️
The Blogging Buddhist 