Be it late night munching or evening snacking, nuts are undoubtedly an excellent way to fill the stomach. And if you are among those who are on a healthy diet and planning to lose weight, then packing a handful of nuts to satiate your craving without increasing your caloric intake is the right thing to do. But a fact that most of us are unaware of is the fact that carrying those packaged nuts, which are often salted, might do more harm than good. Here s what our expert Dr Swati Dave, Ex-Senior Dietitian & Nutritionist Shalby Hospitals, Ahmedabad has to say about salted, unsalted and roasted nuts. Also, read about nuts or dry fruits which is healthier?
Why you should not eat salted nuts
Although nuts, salted or otherwise are energy dense and loaded with calories, the salt in the salted nuts is a cause of concern. Salt, which acts as a natural preservative, not only enhances the taste but also increases the sodium content, which can lead to high blood pressure and other health complications associated with it. Here's are nine ways how extra salt can kill you. The daily recommended dose of sodium is 2400 mg per day. Although salted peanuts and chana are low in sodium, almonds and cashew nuts contain sodium and hence, taking them in the salted form might further the overall sodium intake. For example, if salted peanuts contain around 95 mg of sodium, salted almonds have around 185 mg of sodium. Hence, eating salted nuts in excess might increase your overall sodium intake putting you at risk of heart disease, hypertension and kidney disease.
4 things to keep in mind if snacking on nuts
Unlike other foods, eating nuts in moderation is the key to reap the health benefits. Hence, eat a fistful of nuts or 5 by number; whatever is less as gorging on nuts throughout the day increases the fat content and overall calories. For example, eat five almonds or cashews or a handful of peanuts or roasted chana to satiate your hunger pangs. Also read about 9 healthy snacks for the office.
Replace unhealthy and oil-laden snacks like potato chips with roasted or unsalted nuts as the latter not only boost your energy but also keep you full for a longer time.
Do not restrict to having just one type of nuts every day. Instead, eating a mixture of nuts like pista, cashew, almonds, peanuts and walnuts might help you to increase your overall nutrient intake.
As compared to cashews, peanuts and almonds, snacking on roasted chana is preferred as it not only aids in weight loss due to high fibre content and low-fat content but also keeps you full for a long time. It also aids in digestion and helps you to meet your daily requirement of calcium and protein.
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