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How Good Are Mixed Nuts for You?

How Good Are Mixed Nuts for You

If you have been looking for a healthy snack to introduce into your diet, you have probably thought about mixed nuts.

Nuts are natural, minimally processed ingredients that are tasty, convenient, versatile, and suitable for any lifestyle.

However, before eating nuts as part of your daily diet, it is essential to look into whether they are actually good for you.

Mixed nuts are extremely good for your health.

Mixed nuts are known to reduce inflammation, protect the cardiovascular system, aid weight loss, and reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

While highly nutritious, you should only consume mixed nuts in moderation.

Nuts are excellent foods for any diet, but it is essential to introduce them into our lifestyle safely.

In this article, you can find out how beneficial mixed nuts are for you and how to consume them to reap all of their benefits.

 Mixed Nuts & Essential Vitamins & Minerals

Mixed Nuts & Essential Vitamins & Minerals

Mixed nuts are an excellent source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

They are minimally processed, natural foods that fit any dietary lifestyle, including plant-based, keto, or paleo.

Thanks to their high-density and calorie content, nuts are known for increasing satiety levels.

In turn, this can aid weight loss by keeping you full throughout the day and preventing you from snacking on high-calorie, unhealthy foods.

At the same time, nuts boast an excellent nutritional profile.

They are rich in plant-based proteins, fibers, carbs, and healthy fats.

Additionally, nuts offer essential vitamins such as Vitamin B2 and E and minerals such as non-haem iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, and copper.

Some nuts — such as Brazil nuts — contain selenium, a difficult mineral to obtain from other foods, and minimize the risk of certain types of cancer such as prostate cancer.

Mixed nuts work perfectly as a topping for your morning cereal or salads.

You can also use them in baking, breadmaking, and smoothies or healthy and whole-food snacks.

Thanks to their high versatility, eating nuts daily can help you consume all the nutrients you need for a healthy life.

What Nuts Will You Find in a Mix?

What Nuts Will You Find in a Mix

When choosing a nut mix, it is vital to check which nuts are included in the package.

Indeed, the benefits we are about to discover are only valid if you don’t consider other common ingredients in mixed nuts packages, such as dehydrated fruit.

After all, fruits are much higher in sugars and might affect your chances of losing weight or controlling the blood sugar levels.

Some of the healthiest nuts to have in your mix include:

You can also buy individual types of nuts and create your mix, which is perfect for ensuring that you are meeting your desired caloric intake.

Nutritional Benefits of Mixed Nuts

Nutritional Benefits of Mixed Nuts

It is impossible to understand how good mixed nuts are for you without looking into their unique nutritional profile.

Thanks to the minerals, vitamins, and macronutrients they can provide, mixed nuts represent an excellent food in many people’s diets.

You can find an overview of mixed nuts’ benefits in the video below — or keep reading for the details:

First of all, it is crucial to understand what nuts can offer us in terms of nutrients.

These foods are high-calorie, and around 100g (3.52oz) of roasted or salted nuts can deliver about 600 calories.

However, these calories are much healthier than those you might get from processed foods that are low on nutrients.

In just 100g (3.52oz) of mixed nuts, you will also find 15g (0.53oz) of Polyunsaturated fat and 28g (0.99oz) of Monounsaturated fat, which are the healthy fats that give us energy.

Nuts are also an essential source of carbs and fibers, which protect our digestive system and regulate blood sugar levels.

And as we have seen above, nuts are also known to contain vitamins and minerals such as copper, non-haem iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and selenium.

They Are a Source of Antioxidants

Nuts are an essential source of antioxidants, vital for our well-being because they fight the damage of oxidative stress.

By doing so, they neutralize free radicals and repair damaged cells.

In turn, this can decrease the risk of permanent cell damage and chronic diseases such as cancers and inflammatory conditions.

They Can Lower Cholesterol

Nuts also play an important role in lowering the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. Studies show that this might be due to their monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

These compounds are higher in nuts than in most other foods.

This benefit of nuts can help people dealing with obesity and diabetes.

They Are High in Fibers

Mixed nuts are also an essential source of fibers, which is what gut bacteria need to thrive.

In turn, the bacteria composition goes hand-in-hand with reducing the risk of certain health conditions such as obesity, cancer, and diabetes.

Additionally, consuming fibers is an excellent way to feel full throughout the day and consume fewer calories — which might aid in weight loss.

They Can Protect Your Cardiovascular System

One of the most significant health benefits of nuts is their ability to look after our cardiovascular system and heart health.

Indeed, they can reduce the levels of cholesterol, minimize inflammation, and promote artery function.

In turn, this can decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks.

How Long Can Nuts Keep You Full?

How Long Can Nuts Keep You Full

Many studies have looked into the satiety levels of different foods.

The other foods will score points on a 1 to 100 scale comparatively to bread — which is relatively balanced.

In such studies, the foods that offer a feeling of fullness for longer are:

  • Higher in protein
  • Higher in fibers
  • Containing water or air that increases their volume
  • Low in energy for its weight

Nuts perfectly fit these parameters, and just a handful of nuts in between meals can prevent you from snacking and guarantee a feeling of fullness for up to 4-6 hours.

You might also decide to eat nuts in the morning with your cereals to avoid snacking during the morning or before lunch.

Can You Overeat Nuts?

Can You Overeat Nuts

As we have seen, as little as 100g (3.52oz) of nuts can yield over 600 calories on average.

In a handful of nuts — around 14g (0.49oz), there are over 85 calories on average.

These figures position nuts among the natural foods with the highest calorie content.

Because of their high-calorie count, it is crucial to weigh the number of nuts you eat in a day — or limit your consumption to a handful per day.

Eating too many nuts is possible and can have significant health consequences.

For example, it can prevent you from losing weight and have opposite effects — causing you to gain weight.

While nuts are among the healthiest foods, it is crucial to consume them in moderation!

How Many Nuts Can You Eat a Day?

How Many Nuts Can You Eat a Day

When consuming nuts, keep in mind that these foods are around 80% fat.

While this fat is the healthy kind, it can quickly add up, compromising your weight loss journey and worsening your heart health conditions.

Generally, you can measure a healthy portion of nuts with the following method:

  • Take a small handful of nuts — 1.5oz (40g)
  • Have a tablespoon or two of nut butter

You should consider eating around four servings of nuts per week, following the above guidelines.

Mixed Nuts for Weight Loss

Mixed Nuts for Weight Loss

As we have seen, nuts are an excellent food if you are looking to lose weight.

They are beneficial for two reasons:

  • They make you feel fuller for longer, which means you won’t be snacking on less healthy foods or overeating at lunch or dinner.
  • They are high in fibers, which take longer to be digested by our bodies and promote digestive health.

Some recent studies have also shown that our bodies don’t absorb all calories in nuts.

Indeed, a percentage remains trapped in the fibrous structure of the nut itself.

Therefore, you might be eating nuts, benefit from all of their nutrients, and — at the same time — keep your weight steady.

Best Time To Eat Nuts for Weight Loss

Best Time To Eat Nuts for Weight Loss

Nuts are incredibly versatile foods that can fit the needs of any diet.

Therefore, you can consider consuming nuts raw, roasted, salted, or coated in honey or sugar.

The best way to enjoy mixed nuts is by picking a product that is unsalted and unprocessed.

If your aim is weight loss, the best time of the day to eat nuts is in the morning so that you can use the energy provided by the nuts as fuel for the whole day.

You can do so by adding mixed nuts to your muesli or breakfast cereal.

Conclusion

Nuts are a superfood that can bring endless benefits to anybody’s diet.

They are a healthy source of fibers, fats, carbs, energy, and proteins, and they are minimally processed.

Mixed nuts packages are the best way to benefit from the advantages of every kind of nut, such as the Selenium content of Brazil nuts.

Since nuts are high in fat, fibers, and calories, you should only consume these foods in moderation.

If you are on a weight loss journey, nuts can be your best friend, but you should not have more than a small handful four times a week.