Nuts contain numerous healthy properties, are ideal as a snack and extremely suitable as a meat substitute. View the 10 healthiest nuts and their nutritional values.
Which nuts are the healthiest? Top 10 healthy nuts
Nuts have become enormously popular in recent years. Of course, we have been eating these little rascals for years, but thanks to all their healthy benefits, they are now even more popular than ever before. We now know from various studies that nuts are incredibly healthy. But still, not all nuts are the same. For example, the processing of the nut determines whether it is a healthy addition to our diet or not. Do you like to eat nuts because of their healthy properties? Then choose the following type of nuts:
- Unroasted nuts
- Unsalted nuts
- Unsweetened nuts
Ask yourself the question: Which nuts are the healthiest? Do you not know which nuts contain the most good nutrients and are therefore the most responsible addition to your diet? If so, below you will find the top 10 healthiest nuts.
Top 10 healthiest nuts
- Almonds
- Baru nuts
- Cashew nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Brazil nuts
- Pecans
- Peanuts
- Pistachio nuts
- Walnuts
Now that you know which nuts are the healthiest, the question is why these nuts are the healthiest. For each type of nut you will find below all the positive and negative characteristics and how you can best add them to your diet.
1. Almonds
AlmondsNot for nothing is the almond high on the list of superfoods. Almonds have been one of the most popular and healthiest nuts for years. They are packed with unsaturated fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals that help keep the body healthy and balanced. The almond is rich in vitamin E which provides protection for cells, blood vessels, organs, eyes and tissue. In addition, this vitamin plays a major role in cellular metabolism.
The almond also contains a very strong antioxidant, which has a very positive effect on the resistance and quite a few other functions in the body. For example, almonds ensure the production of red blood cells and play an important role in muscle function.
The antioxidants are mainly found in the brown layer of the skin. For this reason, white almonds, because they are blanched, are not the healthiest choice.
Nutritional values almonds per 100 grams
Energy: 609 Kcal
Fats: 52,8 grams
Monounsaturated: 34,8 grams
Polyunsaturated: 12 grams
Saturated: 3,8 grams
Proteins: 19.5 grams
Dietary fiber: 10.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 10.4 grams
Of which sugars: 3.1 grams
Salt: 0.01 grams
2. Baru nuts
Baru nutsThe baru nut, also known as Barùkas, is the most unknown nut in this list, but it absolutely belongs here. This Brazilian nut is a true super nut and is full of good fats, quickly absorbable protein and fiber. In addition, this nut contains the least calories of all nuts.
This special nut also contains up to 4x more antioxidants than blueberries. Moreover, unlike the other Brazilian nut, the Brazil nut, you do not have to take into account the maximum intake per day.
Unfortunately, the Baru nut is currently not available at De Notenshop. It is difficult to buy this product in the Netherlands and therefore almost no shop or store carries the Baru nut.
Nutritional values baru nuts per 100 grams
Energy: 518 Kcal
Fats: 27,6 grams
Saturated: 4,1 grams
Proteins: 24.1 grams
Dietary fiber: 13,4 grams
Carbohydrates: 15.8 grams
Of which sugars: 0 grams
Salt: 0 grams
3. Cashews
Raw cashewsCashews are an excellent source of healthy unsaturated fatty acids that are important for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. Also, cashews are a rich source of copper. Copper is a mineral that contributes to good resistance, high energy levels, formation of connective tissue, formation of bones and formation of pigment of the hair.
Nutritional values cashews per 100 grams
Energy: 591 Kcal
Fats: 43,9 grams
Monounsaturated: 23,8 grams
Polyunsaturated: 7,8 grams
Saturated: 7,8 grams
Proteins: 18.2 grams
Dietary fiber: 3.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 30.2 grams
Of which sugars: 5.9 grams
Salt: 0.01 grams
4. Hazelnuts
HazelnutsWhen you include hazelnuts within your diet, they can make a significant contribution to your health. Hazelnuts contain monounsaturated fatty acids that contribute to keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy.
In addition, hazelnuts are packed with folic acid (vitamin B11). Especially for pregnant women, it is very important that they get enough of this. Folic acid is very important in the development of the unborn child. Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate and cleft lip.
Nutritional values hazelnuts per 100 grams
Energy: 717 Kcal
Fats: 69 grams
Monounsaturated: 53,4 grams
Polyunsaturated: 7,2 grams
Saturated: 4,9 grams
Proteins: 14 grams
Dietary fiber: 8.2 grams
Carbohydrates: 6 grams
Of which sugars: 5 grams
Salt: 0 grams
5. Macadamia nuts
macadamia nutThe macadamia nut is not the most popular nut there is, largely due to its high selling price. This is because the macadamia nut is the hardest nut to crack.
The pricey macadamia nut is packed with good nutrients. Macadamia nuts contain the highest content of unsaturated fats of all nuts. They also contain a lot of vitamin B1 and manganese. Vitamin B1 contributes, among other things, to the energy supply of the body and manganese contributes to the maintenance of strong bones.
Nutritional values macadamia nuts per 100 grams
Energy: 785 Kcal
Fats: 76.1 grams
Monounsaturated: 59,3 grams
Polyunsaturated: 1,5 grams
Saturated: 11,9 grams
Proteins: 7.8 grams
Dietary fiber: 8 grams
Carbohydrates: 13.4 grams
Of which sugars: 4.1 grams
Salt: 0.04 grams
6. Brazil nuts
Brazil nutsLike the nuts mentioned above, Brazil nuts contain an enormous amount of vitamins and minerals including manganese, potassium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Brazil nuts also contain an extremely high amount of selenium. On average, 100 grams of Brazil nuts contain over 3000% of the recommended daily allowance of selenium.
1-2 Brazil nuts per day are already enough to meet your RDA of selenium. We recommend that you never eat more than 3 to 5 Brazil nuts a day. If you eat more Brazil nuts than the maximum amount you can get a selenium poisoning. Characteristics of a selenium poisoning are: fatigue, hair loss, itching, skin rash and brittle and white nails.
Nutritional values brazil nuts per 100 grams
Energy: 696 Kcal
Fats: 67,1 grams
Monounsaturated: 24,5 grams
Polyunsaturated: 20,6 grams
Saturated: 15,1 grams
Proteins: 14.3 grams
Dietary fiber: 7.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 4.2 grams
Of which sugars: 2.3 grams
Salt: 0.03 grams
7. Pecans
raw pecansThanks to the large amount of vitamins B and E present in pecans, this nut is best described as “brain food”. Vitamins B and E are known to have a positive influence on brain function.
Pecans are also packed with minerals such as magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc. Zinc promotes the maintenance of healthy hair, nails and skin.
Nutritional values pecans per 100 grams
Energy: 721 Kcal
Fats: 72 grams
Monounsaturated: 40,8 grams
Polyunsaturated: 21,6 grams
Saturated: 6,2 grams
Proteins: 9.2 grams
Dietary fiber: 9.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 4.3 grams
Of which sugars: 4 grams
Salt: 0.05 grams
8. Peanuts
PeanutsBanuts do not really belong in this list since they are not nuts but legumes. However, thanks to their nutty properties, these little rascals are considered nuts.
They are rich in proteins, which maintain the muscles and are a building material for the body. Peanuts are also rich in vitamin B3 which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Peanuts are also rich in magnesium, potassium and vitamin B1 and contain less natural sugars than, for example, walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios.
Nutritional values peanuts per 100 grams
Energy: 563 Kcal
Fats: 48,7 grams
Monounsaturated: 25,3 grams
Polyunsaturated: 14,7 grams
Saturated: 6.4 grams
Proteins: 25.2 grams
Dietary fiber: 8.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 16.5 grams
Of which sugars: 3.9 grams
Salt: 0.02 grams
9. Pistachios
Pistachios are one of the healthiest nuts available. Compared to other nuts they contain the most antioxidants and the least calories.
For this reason, pistachios are excellent to eat when watching your weight, especially if you choose the unpeeled variety. A study presented at the Experimental Biology Conference in Washington shows that peeling pistachios slows down the eating process and makes people more aware of their eating habits.
Nutritional values pistachios per 100 grams
Energy: 579 Kcal
Fats: 45,4 grams
Monounsaturated: 23,8 grams
Polyunsaturated: 13,7 grams
Saturated: 5,6 grams
Proteins: 20.3 grams
Dietary fiber: 10.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 17.2 grams
Of which sugars: 7.7 grams
Salt: 0.01 grams
10. Walnuts
WalnutsWalnuts are packed with healthy nutrients that are good for the body. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids have a positive effect on the nervous system and support general brain activity.
Research conducted by Cambridge University shows that the polyphenol compounds and phytochemical in walnuts have an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, walnuts also contain vitamin E, the vitamin that has a positive effect on resistance.
Nutritional values walnuts per 100 grams
Energy: 675 Kcal
Fats: 62,5 grams
Monounsaturated: 14,4 grams
Polyunsaturated: 44 grams
Saturated: 6,1 grams
Proteins: 14.4 grams
Dietary fiber: 6 grams
Carbohydrates: 10.6 grams
Of which sugars: 7 grams
Salt: 0 grams
Which nuts are best to eat?
In the table below, you can easily compare the nut types discussed in terms of nutritional values. Each nut has its own unique health benefits. It would therefore be strange to recommend only one nut. To optimally benefit from all health advantages, we advise you to vary your nut consumption as much as possible.
But how much of each type of nut should you actually eat and how do you make sure you actually get the daily recommended amount?
How many nuts per day?
To make sure you get enough nuts, the rule is to eat one handful of nuts per day. This is equivalent to 25 to 30 grams of nuts per day. Alternate between different types of nuts in order to benefit as much as possible from the various health benefits of different nuts.
For men over 70 and women over 51 it is recommended not to eat more than 15 grams of nuts per day. Also, children under the age of 9 have enough of 15 grams of nuts per day. Given the risk of choking on small nuts, it is preferable to give very young children nut paste instead of whole nuts.
Naturally, choose the unsalted, unroasted, unroasted and unsugared nuts and avoid ingesting large quantities of nuts. This can result in a surplus of certain minerals and given the large amount of calories and fats, this can still be quite significant.
Tips for adding nuts to your diet
How do you get your daily handful of nuts? Fortunately, there are many ways to add nuts to your diet. Here are 3 tips to add nuts to your diet in an easy way.
- Add a handful of nuts to your breakfast. Nuts are an ideal addition to breakfast. Easily add them to your yogurt or cottage cheese and you immediately have a crunchy bite for breakfast.
- Snack. Do you ever feel like a snack during the day? Then have a handful of nuts. A very easy and tasty way to get your daily dose of nuts.
- With the salad. Nuts and salad are the ideal combination. Sprinkle nuts over your salad at lunch, very tasty and the ideal addition to the salad.