Pecans in your waffles, peanut butter on your apples, almonds in your casserole, so many ways to incorporate nuts into your diet! But is it healthy to eat nuts every day?
Can You Eat Nuts Every Day?
How many nuts can a nutcracker crack, if a nutcracker could crack nuts? Sometimes health jargon can seem as confusing as this riddle. Nuts are designated as healthy, but there are fats and calories to account for, so are they healthy enough to eat every day? To answer this, let’s break it down into plain English. According to the American Heart Association, incorporating about four servings per week of unsalted nuts into your diet will result in benefiting from their heart-healthy advantages (a serving being suggested as a small handful, or about 15-20 pecan halves).
What’s the Catch with Eating Nuts Every Day?
Yes, nuts are very nutrient-dense, and so, very calorie-dense as well. That means that these suckers are packed full of both energy and vitamins that our body craves for optimal function. With that said, calorie-dense means just that; a significant amount of calories per size of the food item. But, unlike, say a bag of chips, nuts are also nutrient-dense, meaning the calories are coming from healthy nutrients and not just “bad” fats, such as the oil that the chips are cooked in.
So, as with everything else, moderation is key. One serving of nuts each day will help keep the heart healthy, and when eaten in place of that bag of chips, can lead to a healthier you. To avoid any additional calories, or unwanted “unhealthy” fat, sugar, or sodium, ensure your nuts are unsalted and dry-roasted. Nuts that have been cooked in oil or coated in sugar will indeed increase their caloric value. With that, they lose the potential of being a heart-healthy snack, recipe ingredient, or garnish option.
Check out our fresh Texas pecans to add to your recipes so you and your family can take advantage of their heart-healthy benefits!
