The fat truth about nuts

Sanitarium Nutrition Service, Berkeley Vale, New South Wales

Latest research shows that eating more nuts can actually help us to lose-and maintain-a healthy weight. More than half of all adults in Australia and New Zealand are overweight and, as we edge closer to becoming the fattest nations in the world, many of us are thinking about how to take-and keep-the kilograms off.

There are a lot of myths about the role of nuts in weight gain but after reviewing the evidence, here's what we've found:

Myth: Nuts are fatty and make you gain weight.
Fact: Nuts, as a healthy part of a diet, don't cause weight gain. In fact, as part of an energy-controlled diet, nuts can actually help reduce weight.

Myth: Nuts aren't good for kids.
Fact: Nuts are an important source of nutrients for children. If there is no history of allergy, nuts can be included from around 12 months as a spread (for example, peanut butter). As children get older (around five years) they can enjoy the benefits of eating whole nuts.

Myth: Nuts are full of cholesterol.
Fact: Nuts are good for your heart health and contain no cholesterol. A wide body of research shows eating nuts two to five times per week significantly reduces the risk of heart disease. The National Heart Foundation recommends regularly including nuts in your diet to manage cholesterol. Nuts are one of nature's superfoods. They're a great source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Here are some of our tips on nuts and the best ways to enjoy them:

Handful a day: Try to eat a small handful of nuts each day. Pack them into a small container or have a mixture of nuts in a jar to snack on during the day.

Nuts in meals: Nuts add a crunchy texture and great flavour to almost any meal. You can sprinkle pine nuts into pasta dishes or frittatas, or add cashew nuts to stir-fries and walnuts or almonds to salads.

Buy unsalted: Choose unsalted nuts whenever possible-they're much better for you.

Buy in bulk: If you're watching your dollars, try buying nuts in a mixed pack. That way, you get a variety of nuts for much less. And if you can, buy in bulk and store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Include walnuts: Walnuts are an excellent source of healthy omega-3 fats. They'll help keep your heart healthy and they're tasty, too!

For more information on nuts and health, or to receive a copy of our new Healthy Eating for Your Heart brochure, call 1800 HEALTH (1800 432 584) in Australia or 0800 100 257 in New Zealand. You can also speak with one of our qualified nutritionists.

This has been a feature from Record, February 21, 2009