Nut Nutrition (Nothin' but Nut)

If archaeologists were to discover an ancient Persian painting entitled “Camels Playing Cards,” it’s a sure bet you’d see bowls of walnuts being eaten by the two-humped gamblers. Ancient Greek and Roman healers were often heard telling patients, “Take two hazelnuts and call me in the morning.” Who knew that so many years later nuts would find their way into the realm of health foods?

Nut as bad as you think

Some might argue that nuts can’t possibly be good for you because they’re high in fat. Well, they’re half right. Nuts range from 11 to 22 grams of fat per ounce, roughly 38% to 78% fat. The fat in nuts is mostly (80% on average) unsaturated, containing one (monounsaturated) or more (polyunsaturated) double bonds. When consumed in moderation, unsaturated fats can help lower the risk of heart disease and reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol) without affecting high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good,” cholesterol).

In 2003, FDA recognized the heart-health benefits of nuts with a qualified health claim: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz. per day of most nuts (peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts), as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Nuts are, in general, rich in oleic acid. Macadamias are unique; they are the only nut that contain palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturate believed to aid fat metabolism and reduce the body’s fat buildup.

Walnuts, according to the California Walnut Board, Folsom, have gained “superfood” status for their level of omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with positive effects on many conditions, including blood pressure, asthma, triglyceride levels, heart disease and cancer. Walnuts deliver 2.6 grams alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) per ounce raw material, well beyond the National Academy of Science’s daily recommendation for omega-3 intake for men (1.6 grams) and women (1.1 grams). Plus, 100 grams of walnuts also contain 0.7 mg vitamin E (14% Daily Value, or DV), 0.5 mg vitamin B6 (28% DV), 346 mg of phosphorous (35% DV), 441 mg potassium (14% DV), 3.1 mg zinc (21% DV) and 1.6 mg copper (70% DV).