Nuts are high in calories, but they may not be as fattening as once thought. (Joyce Dopkeen/The New York Times)Nuts are a big part of many holiday celebrations, whether it’s pecan pie, chestnut stuffing or just a handful of cashews grabbed at the office party.
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While numerous studies have linked nut consumption to better heart health, most nuts are loaded with calories — from about 160 to 200 calories per ounce. For years, I have avoided nuts despite the health benefits, because I was worried about gaining weight.
But a recent report in the Berkeley Wellness Letter spreads some good cheer about nuts. The Wellness Letter notes that despite the calories and fat found in nuts, eating them regularly may actually help with weight control. Here’s an excerpt:
People who eat nuts regularly tend to weigh less than those who don’t — or at least they don’t weigh more, population studies show. For instance, a Spanish study of nearly 9,000 people, reported in Obesity last year, found that those who ate nuts at least twice a week were less likely to gain weight over 28 months than those who never or rarely ate nuts.
Even when people add nuts to their usual diets, they don’t seem to gain much, if any, weight. In a small study from Purdue University last year, women who added 344 calories worth of almonds a day to their diets — without purposefully cutting back on calories elsewhere or exercising more — did not gain weight after 10 weeks. Similar findings have been reported with walnuts and peanuts. Fewer studies have looked at whether nuts can actually help you lose weight, but one found that a low-calorie diet that included almonds led to more weight loss than a same-calorie, nut-free diet.
A 2007 review from Australia sums it up: When added freely to a diet, nuts cause less weight gain than would be predicted — and when added to a calorie-controlled diet, they don’t cause weight gain and may sometimes make weight loss easier.
The Wellness Letter notes that the fiber and protein in nuts make you feel full longer and likely lead to eating less later. Some studies have suggested nuts may slightly increase your body’s ability to burn calories, and as much as 17 percent of the fat in nuts passes out of the body undigested.
For more on the health benefits of nuts, read “Why Go Nuts” from the May Berkeley Wellness Letter.
And for a truly delicious holiday nut snack, check out this spiced pecan and cranberry recipe from Cooking Light magazine. My colleague brought this dish to the office other day and everyone went back for more.
Orange Chipotle-Spiced Pecan Mix
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 large egg white
2 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
Cooking spray
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
2. Combine first three ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Stir in pecans. Combine sugar, salt and pepper. Add to pecan mixture; toss well. Spread mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 225 degrees for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool completely. Stir in cranberries.
The magazine says the dish can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week, but I guarantee it won’t last that long.
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From 1 to 25 of 33 Comments
Knowing how to choose delicious food that satisfies appetite is a major tool for weight management.
But one caveat: everyone is different, in terms of what works.
Nuts work for me, but not for my business partner, with whom I compare notes. She doesn’t feel so satisfied from calorically dense foods, and fares better with bulkier foods. I, on the other hand, can satisfy my hunger with a few nuts or a reasonable chunk of cheese.
I’ll try the recipe! it looks good. Thanks, TPP.
— WesleyI love nuts! My usual dinner is a vegetable stir fry with a few walnuts or pine nuts tossed in. Delicious.
— AndreaOne member in my family has a nut allergy and the holidays are always difficult for us, as we are invited to parties where nuts abound. …
— MidwesternerI love raw almonds, but I sometimes have trouble controlling how much I eat. It’s quite easy to down two to three servings of nuts in one sitting, which would more likely than not add to weight gain if consumed daily, despite what this study says. I find it helpful to divvy up my almonds into one-ounce servings.
— LindaOnce again another food with lots of fat, minimal carbs, and lots of calories that doesnt make you gain weight. Coincidence?
— JasonI believe that the very popular weight control book “You on a Diet:Waist Control” recommended eating a few walnuts about 20 minutes before a meal as a means to cut the mealtime appetite. Red pepper and cinnamon also acted as suppressants.
— BruceAs the mom of an allergic son, I second the statement that the holidays are difficult for the nut-allergic. Enjoy your nut dishes — I love nuts myself — but please be aware not to bring nuts or nut products to playgrounds or public places where there might be allergic kids (or adults). Thanks.
— AnonI eat walnuts and/or almonds daily for the fats and protein, but I have to use a scale to measure out and package the portions. Otherwise I’ll eat them by the handful and plow through a thousand calories of ‘em in a sitting!
— SchizohedronI eat 1/4 c. (about a handful) of nuts every day. It’s my afternoon snack and treat - I really look forward to it each day. My BMI is 21.
— kimOnly half the calories in almonds are absorbed by the body, the rest go right through you. This according to a study reported by Dr. William Davis in the Heartscan blog.
FROM TPP — I don’t think the data he cites is conclusive but he does refer to a study showing that we only absorb about half the FAT calories from almonds — that translates to about 40% fewer calories from almonds than their total calorie content would suggest. It’s interesting reading. Here’s his post.
— PeterWhile I certainly understand that it can be a challenge for kids and adults with nut allergies to avoid them, I think there comes a point where individuals needs to take responsibility for what they are putting into their mouths. From a fairly young age, kids can be taught not to eat other people’s food and you can pack food they can eat– yes, even for school events and other people’s birthday parties. Labeling and caution should do it for adults. If you can’t tell what’s in it, don’t eat it.
For example, I have a friend who is allergic to: legumes (including soy), gluten (wheat, oats, rye, etc), citrus, eggs, cow’s milk, and tomatoes. Nuts are one of the few vegetarian sournces of protein she can eat. But do potlucks have to exclude all those ingredients when she comes? No.
I am tired of being told that I cannot have peanut butter sandwiches. I do not share my sandwiches, I do wash my hands regularly, and I am not going to kiss your child.
— StephanieI just bought a tin of roasted almonds on sale & find it is better at curbing my salty cravings than pretzels or crackers. The only problem is that nuts (other than peanuts) are so darn expensive … anyone know why that is, or a good place to get them cheap?
— MeredithI second Stephanie’s call for personal responsibility regarding allergies to nuts (and I would add: any other allergies, food preferences, etc).
As a vegan, I routinely attend parties where there’s little or nothing available for me to eat. But that’s my choice and I live with it. I don’t demand that friends & family change the food on offer; I plan ahead by eating a small meal at home first, and then attend the party to enjoy the company of people I love, perhaps having a drink while I’m there.
If you have (or your child has) an allergy, you have an important personal responsibility to ask first what’s in the food before eating it (and teach your child to do the same) — or just plan on eating at home first and bypass the party buffet.
(Incidentally, I believe this has a side benefit as well: I don’t ever gain weight around the holidays, and I believe that not eating — or not eating much — at parties has something to do with it.)
— Ashley TrailrunnerIs there a fiber/calorie/fat count for this recipe? It sounds yummy, but I know all my friends who are watching their weight will ask…
— HarrietFROM TPP — One of the great things about Cooking Light is they always provide nutritional info. Click on the recipe link in the story and scroll down — you’ll see a nutrition info box at the bottom of the page.
meredith, if you have one near you, trader joe’s sells very cheap bags of nuts! i eat sliced almonds in my breakfast yogurt every day, so i buy them fairly frequently. check it out!
— sarahI agree that it’s annoying for people to be expected to accommodate allergies, but the thing about nut allergies is that sometimes they’re so strong that a person cannot even be in the same room with a nut product without having a reaction.
— KatieSo it’s not just a matter of teaching your kids to be careful of what they eat, or of not wanting to be tempted. But it is the responsibility of the allergic to ask and warn people ahead of time.
Nuts to you! A recent tradition of mine has been giving nicely wrapped bags of freshly toasted nuts At Christmas/Holiday time. I buy in quantity, raw almonds, brazil, pecan & walnuts & toast ‘em in the oven at about 250 degrees till they are medium Dark when split open. No salt. Most everyone rather likes ‘em.
— Michael KlingGr.eat, thanks. I did check it out and as you suggest, got all the info I need
— HarrietIf the study showing that only half the fat in almonds is absorbed, it is really big news. This work was presented as an abstract at FASEB meeting (the largest scientific meeting in the world).
It still needs to be reviewed and published, ut until now, with the exception of indigestible fiber, a calorie eaten was considered a calorie absorbed.
If we can achieve satiety by eating almonds or other poorly absorbed foods rich in calories and flavor, we can eat a lot and not get fat.
— jackPeanuts aren’t actually nuts, they are legumes.
I eat several handfuls of nuts a day and my BMI is 19.
— HBalm for the conscience! I am in the camp that can easily take in a week’s allotment in one sitting. Nonetheless, I have found that over time, a few nuts here and there have had no ill effect, and have the benefit of making me feel that I have not deprived myself of one of life’s truly small pleasures.
— marymaryJust reading this makes me hungry for my favorite nuts: Cashews!
— Mark ForstnegerBenigna Marko loves almonds and walnuts. Walnuts have omega 3 which is a good thing. Get into the nutty side of yourself and live healthier. No need to worry about perservatives, these are natural and filling. Enjoy. Benigna Marko
— Benigna MarkoThink about it a brownie just a brownie but a brownie with walnuts, that is a brownie. And, how about a sunday, a sunday is not complete until that sprinkle of peanuts or almonds. Have yourself a wonderful nutty christmas. Benigna Marko, would also say, you are what you eat, so be careful over eating the nuts. Benigna Marko
— Benigna MarkoStephanie, nobody’s telling anybody not to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I’m just requesting that when you do, please be aware that somebody around you might have a life-threatening nut allergy. If you eat a PB&J, please wash your hands before, say, dangling from the monkey bars at your local playground. Thanks.
— Anon