Get the rundown on which nuts are best

May 11, 2009

MUSLEANDFITNESSHERS.COM

Q: I often enjoy nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and macadamias, to get in some healthy fats. Are either of these nuts better than the others?

A: You're on the right track in getting in your healthy fats, as these fats can help to enhance your health, as well as your fat loss efforts...when eaten in moderation, of course. But yes, some nuts are definitely better than others. For example, walnuts are the only nuts that actually contain the essential omega-3 fats, which have been found to enhance fat burning, as well as aid muscle and joint recovery. Most other nuts do not contain appreciable amounts of these essential fats, however, they do contain the healthy monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can help to reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as cardiovascular disease.

So here's the Hers rundown on the best nuts to eat. Walnuts definitely top the list since one ounce provides almost 3 grams of the essential omega-3 fats. No other nut even comes close. But one thing you need to know about the omega-3 in walnuts is that it is not the same omega-3 found in fatty fish like salmon. Walnuts contain the omega-3 fat, alpha linoleic acid (ALA). In the body this must be converted to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosopentaenoic acid (DHA). So even if your diet is rich in walnuts, still consider eating fatty fish like salmon or trout a few times each week, as well as supplementing with fish oil. Walnuts also contain almost 3 grams of monounstaurated fats per ounce. One ounce of walnuts (about 14 halves) provides 185 calories, 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of carbs and 18 grams of fat total. After walnuts, macadamias are next on our list due to their monunsaturated fat content. One ounce of macadamias has a whopping 17 grams of monounsaturated fats. Not many other nuts even come close. One ounce of macadamias (about 10-12 nuts) will net you 203 calories, 2 grams of protein, 4 grams of carbs and 22 grams of fat total. Up next we would probably list pecans. One ounce of pecans supplies 12 grams of monounsaturated fats. They also have three times the omega-3 fats as most other nuts. But at 300 mg of ALA, it's just one tenth the amount in walnuts. One ounce of pecans (about 15 halves) will deliver 200 calories, 3 grams of protein, 4 grams of carbs and 21 grams of fat total. Almonds come up next as they contain 9 grams of monounsaturated fats per ounce, which is still more than most other nuts. Plus, one ounce of almonds supplies 7 grams of protein, almost double the amount of most other nuts, even triple the amount of some. One ounce of almonds (about 20 nuts) will total you 170 calories, 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbs and 15 grams of total fat. Last but not least we would list the Brazil nut. Althoug one ounce of Brazil nuts has just 7 grams of monounstaurated fats, it also provides over 500 mcg of selenium. This mineral can help to keep your metabolic rate up and may even be critical for maintaining muscle strength. One ounce of Brazil nuts (about 6 nuts) gets you 186 calories, 4 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbs, and 19 grams of total fat. Of course, the best way to take advantage of these various nuts is to eat a mix of all of them.

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