Are nuts and seeds healthy or harmful?
healthy nuts and seeds for weight loss
Eliminating nuts and seeds completely from your diet, as they cause obesity, is one of the worst pieces of advice the American people have ever received.
Study after study has shown that increased consumption of nuts is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and death.
In fact, in one of the largest randomized trials ever conducted on heart disease, the PREDIMED study, those who ate nuts every day reduced their risk of heart attack by 30 percent, equal to or better than taking statins.
In another weight loss study, researchers compared a vegan, low-fat diet to a vegan, high-fat diet, including nuts, avocados, and olive oil. A high-fat diet led to increased weight loss and improved cholesterol.
The results of a review of the evidence linking nuts to a lower risk of coronary heart disease were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
In this review, researchers looked at four large prospective epidemiological studies—the Adventist Health Study, Iowa Women's Study, Nurses' Health, and Physicians' Health.
When evidence from all four studies was combined, participants who consumed nuts at least four times a week showed a 37 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those who rarely or never ate nuts.
Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% lower risk of coronary heart disease.
A study published in the journal Obesity showed that people who ate nuts at least twice a week were much less likely to gain weight than those who ate almost no nuts at all.
A twenty-eight-month study of 8,865 adult men and women in Spain found that participants who ate nuts at least twice a week were 31 percent less likely to gain weight than participants who never or rarely ate nuts.
Nuts are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. And saturated with healthy fats, and helps reduce appetite. The secret is to eat it in moderation.
You'll want to eat it as part of a healthy diet. But just as you wouldn't binge on three bags of cauliflower, you shouldn't binge on three bags of nuts.
You can overeat, and you'll end up just overeating. A handful or two a day is all it takes to reap its powerful benefits - and satisfy your cravings for crunchy food!
How to buy and prepare nuts and seeds
I recommend buying organic and certified raw nuts and seeds. This way, you will protect yourself from exposure to potential pollutants.
Avoid roasted or salted nuts; The high temperature used by commercial toasters damages many of the delicate fats found in nuts and seeds.
If you like, you can lightly roast them yourself at very low oven temperatures (250 degrees Fahrenheit).
It's a good idea to soak your nuts and seeds to reduce lectins, phytates, and enzyme inhibitors. These are considered "anti-nutrients" that can inhibit nutrient absorption, cause digestive disorders, and inhibit enzymes.
While raw nuts and seeds are highly nutritious foods, preparation is key to exploiting the maximum amount of nutrients and discouraging any substances that can irritate the gut.
The soaking process germinates the nuts and seeds, allowing the enzymes to increase activity. Soaking enhances the flavor, too.
Simply, soak raw nuts or seeds in warm salt water overnight, or for up to twenty-four hours. Make sure there is enough warm water in the bowl; So that it covers nuts or seeds by one inch. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt to 4 cups of nuts or seeds.
When finished soaking, rinse thoroughly; So that the rinse water becomes transparent. Then it is important to dry them completely.
The best way to ensure that it will dry completely is by spreading it out in a single layer in the warm oven at the lowest temperature possible - ideally no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
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