According to a new study, dried fruit doesn't make you gain weight at all and provides many benefits to the body. According to the latest scientific evidence, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and similar nuts even help you lose weight. Let's find out what's true and what's not, and why we should regularly consume dried fruit.
In the past, dried fruit had a bad reputation because it was considered too fatty and high in calories. Its reputation has since changed. In this article, we explain why nuts are good for you and why, despite their high fat content, they are a great ally in your diet.
Let's start with the question we all ask ourselves: does nuts help you lose weight?
Studies show a connection between nuts and weight loss. To understand whether nuts help you lose weight, we need to analyze a study published in the scientific journal Obesity Reviews, which found that walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and peanuts, despite containing good fats, do not cause weight gain. "Nuts are a nutrient-dense food, providing a source of plant-based protein, fiber, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients," says Stephanie Nishi, PhD, dietitian, researcher, and one of the study's authors.
What did the researchers discover?
The researchers examined previous studies that included almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts, and their relationship with obesity, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. A total of 92 studies involving a staggering 700,000 participants.
So can we say that this study has discovered a connection between nuts and weight loss?
Yes, as Dr. Nishi, who conducted the study, explains: "The results demonstrate that the intake of walnuts, almonds, etc. is not associated with weight gain and is even associated with a reduction in adiposity," i.e., weight loss. The researchers therefore discovered that nuts did not increase other indicators of adiposity in adults (waist circumference or BMI).
But this isn't the only study that claims nuts are beneficial, and that they could be an aid in weight loss.
A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, conducted on over 13,000 people, found that those who consumed nuts of all types (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and cashews) not only had a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but were also leaner, had less abdominal obesity, and had a lower body mass index (with all the limitations that calculating BMI can have) than those who didn't eat them.
But studies aside, the point is that nuts should be consumed not only for weight loss. It's very common for many of us to forget about nuts, ignoring them or using them incorrectly. Or we might completely eliminate them when dieting because we focus solely on their caloric content, ignoring their valuable contribution in terms of fiber, trace elements like iron, calcium, zinc, and many other nutrients that provide enormous benefits to the body. Let's explore them together.
The benefits of nuts
Nuts contain a lot of good fats. Nuts in particular include walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, pistachios, chestnuts, and coconuts. They are called "oily" or "lipidic" nuts due to their high fat content (about 90%), which, however, is found in the form of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially Omega-6 and Omega-3, the so-called "good" ones). These help lower blood cholesterol levels and, therefore, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Since fats are destroyed by heat, it's best not to eat roasted oily nuts.
These nuts have little water, little sugar, and a good amount of protein (about 12-13% per 100g). Nuts are very rich in vitamins B and E, which are known for their antioxidant properties. They are also very rich in minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus, and calcium, as well as fiber. Despite their very high calorie content (about 600 kcal per 100 g), nuts have been shown to be part of a healthy diet, especially for vegetarians, vegans, and athletes. The absence of gluten makes these foods excellent for celiacs as well.
A practical tip to help you lose weight
If you're still not convinced that nuts can help you lose weight, remember that most of the fats, proteins, and fiber in nuts keep you feeling full for a long time and help curb hunger pangs. This prevents you from resorting to unhealthy snacks!
What are you waiting for? Stock up on nuts.
SOURCES:
https://www.gazzetta.it/alimentazione/per-lo-sport/14-10-2021/frutta-secca-quanta-mangiarne-quale-e-tutti-i-benefici-per-la-salute-55857.shtml
https://www.elle.com/it/salute/diete/news/a167347/frutta-secca-un-ottimo-alleato-per-dimagrire-in-modo-corretto/
https://www.alfemminile.com/salute-e-benessere/frutta-secca-fa-ingrassare/
https://www.humanitas-care.it/news/la-frutta-secca-importantissima-la-salute/
https://www.polispecialisticoleonardo.it/scienze-della-nutrizione-2/
