Nuts, Seeds, & Health

When considering a whole-foods-plant-based diet, nuts and seeds are one of our most abundant sources of healthy essential fats.  A small handful goes a long way to increasing your health and sustaining your energy, and they are non-perishable and easily transported convenience food.

Just as we saw with greens, beans, and grains, different nuts and seeds will have different nutrient profiles.  This means the best path to a well rounded diet is to include as much variety as possible.  Let’s jump in shall we? 

mixed nuts

The Nutritional Makeup of Nuts & Seeds: 

Before we jump right in, let’s take a moment to ensure we know what nuts and seeds are as there can be a bit of confusion here. 

First, let’s clarify what is considered a nut.  Nuts, in a nutritional context, are the edible fruit of a plant that is enclosed in a woody or leathery shell; this shell doesn’t tend to open to release the fruit and seed but must be manually opened and removed.  They commonly grow on trees.  Using this definition, a peanut is not actually a nut as peanuts grow underground and are members of the legume (bean) family.  

Next, let’s look at seeds.  Seed is a very wide category.  We are speaking of the reproductive portion of a plant that will often fall out of a shell when left to dry on the plant itself.  We are excluding beans and grains from this category due to their unique nutritional makeup, but those too are seeds, and when planted, they will grow into a new plant.  Seeds are rich sources of nutrients because they contain the necessary calories, minerals, and vitamins needed to start a new plant’s life and grow the roots and leaves it needs to sustain itself. 

Remembering that there is a lot of variety across this food category, let’s look for some common features: 

Vitamins:

• Vitamin E - especially high in sunflower seeds 

• B vitamins

• Vitamin K

Minerals:

• Selenium - especially high in Brazil nuts, which contain more than the minimum daily requirement in one nut!

• Manganese

• Copper

• Zinc - especially high in hemp hearts

• Phosphorous

• Magnesium - especially high in hemp hearts

• Iron - especially high in chia and pumpkin seeds

Fat:

You can review my fat, nutrition, and health article for an overview of the importance of fats and the differences between them.  Also, because nuts and seeds are plant foods, they naturally contain no cholesterol and no trans-fats, making them a heart-healthy source of the essential fatty acids you need to function optimally.

• Saturated fat - highest in pine nuts

• Monounsaturated fats - highest in macadamia nuts

• Polyunsaturated fats - highest in walnuts

  • Omega 6 fatty acids -walnuts and sunflower seeds are rich sources

  • Omega 3 fatty acids - especially high in hemp, chia, and flax seeds

Protein:

Hemp hearts are especially rich in protein and contain all the essential fatty acids making them a complete protein in and of themselves - one of the few plant foods in this category!  I review the importance of protein and complete proteins in my protein & health article. 

Fiber: 

Chia and flax seeds win the gold and silver medals here.  If you would like to go a bit deeper into the importance of fiber, you can read my fiber overview and/or my recent article on food and inflammation. 

I don’t know about you, but I am always blown away by the sheer variety of nutrients available in whole foods!  It makes all those bottles of supplements at the grocery store seem pretty silly when you think about it!

Pumpkin seeds

Comparing Different Nuts & Seeds: 

In order to keep this article down to a reasonable size, I will only be comparing four different members of this food category that are pretty easily accessible.  Two will be nuts: walnuts and almonds, and the other two will be seeds: hemp hearts and flax seeds.  

As always, I am using my free cronometer account to access the NCCFND database for all of the nutritional information below.  I encourage you to access this information to check my data and look into any other foods you are interested in learning more about. 

For the information below, I’m using a one ounce serving size and will also include a real-life estimate of how much that is for each example.  Finally, as with previous nutrient breakdowns, the Daily Value percentages are based upon a woman of childbearing age. 

Walnut

Walnuts: (~13 halves) 185.4 Calories

• Fat - 18.5 g

  • Monounsaturated - 2.53 g

  • Polyunsaturated - 13.37 g

    • Omega-3 - 2.57 g

    • Omega-6 - 10.8 g

  • Saturated - 1.74 g

• Protein - 4.32 g

• Fiber - 1.90 (7.6%)

• Riboflavin (B2) - 0.04 mg (2.5%)

• Vitamin A - 5.67 mg (0.1%)

• Vitamin E - 0.2 mg (1%)

• Copper - 0.45 mg (22.5%)

• Iron - 0.82 mg (4.6%)

• Magnesium - 44.79 mg (11.2%)

• Manganese - 0.97 mg (48.4%)

• Phosphorus - 98.09 mg (9.8%)

• Zinc - 0.88 mg (5.9%)

• Selenium - 1.34 (2%)

almonds on the tree

Almonds: (~23 nuts) 164.1 Calories

• Fat - 14.15 g

  • Monounsaturated - 8.94 g

  • Polyunsaturated - 3.5 g

    • Omega-3 - 0 g

    • Omega-6 - 3.49 g

  • Saturated - 1.08 g

• Protein - 6.0 g

• Fiber - 3.54 (14.2%)

• Riboflavin (B2) - 0.32 mg (19%)

• Vitamin A - 0.57 mg (<0.1%)

• Vitamin E - 7.27 mg (36.1%)

• Copper - 0.29 mg (14.6%)

• Iron - 1.05 mg (5.8%)

• Magnesium - 76.54 mg (19.1%)

• Manganese - 0.62 mg (30.9%)

• Phosphorus - 136.36 (13.6%)

• Zinc - 0.88 mg (5.9%)

• Selenium - 1.16 mcg (1.7%)

flax flowers

Flax seeds: (3 Tbsp) 151.4 Calories

• Fat - 11.95 g

  • Monounsaturated - 2.13 g

  • Polyunsaturated - 8.14 g

    • Omega-3 - 6.47 g

    • Omega-6 - 1.67 g

  • Saturated - 1.04 g

• Protein - 5.19 g

• Fiber - 7.74 g (31%)

• Thiamine (B1) - 0.47 mg (31.1%)

• Riboflavin (B2) - 0.05 mg (2.7%)

• Vitamin A - 0 mg (0%)

• Vitamin E - 0.09 mg (0.4%)

• Copper - 0.35 mg (17.3%)

• Iron - 1.62 mg (9%)

• Magnesium - 111.13 mg (27.8%)

• Manganese - 0.7 mg (35.2%)

• Phosphorus - 182 mg (18.2%)

• Zinc - 1.23 mg (8.2%)

• Selenium - 7.2 mcg (10.3%)

"Beautify with Hemp Seeds" by Evelyn Parham is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Hemp hearts: (3 Tbsp)  149.1 Calories

• Fat - 10.6 g

  • Monounsaturated - 1.09 g

  • Polyunsaturated - 6.94 g

    • Omega-3 - 2.01 g

    • Omega-6 - 4.92 g

  • Saturated - 0.83 g

• Protein - 7.03 g

• Fiber - 7.82 g (31.3%)

• Thiamine (B1) - 0.11 mg (7.6%)

• Riboflavin (B2) - 0.03 mg (1.7%)

• Vitamin A - 730 mg (14.6%)

• Vitamin E - 0.52 mg (2.6%)

• Copper - 0.57 mg (22%)

• Iron - 3.97 mg (22%)

• Magnesium - 136.93 mg (34.2%)

• Manganese - 1.98 mg (99.2%)

• Phosphorus - 329 mg (32.9%)

• Zinc - 1.98 mg (8.2%)

• Selenium - 7.2 mcg (13.2%)

As you can see, when it comes to nuts and seeds, there is quite a variety of nutrients.  A handful of mixed nuts and seeds isn’t a bad strategy to diversify your nutrient intake. 

Applications: 

Now that we have met some of the characters within the cast of nuts and seeds, let’s think about how to incorporate these foods into our diets.

Note: if you are allergic to nuts, do not fret; there are other ways to get these nutrients in.  Not everyone will be able to eat ALL the different healthy foods due to health, access, or cultural/ethical considerations.  There is an amazing abundance of foods and quite a bit of overlap in nutrient content.  My goal in discussing each of these different food categories is to help you diversify your diet and increase your intake of food-based nutrients in a way that works best for you.  

Also, some people who cannot tolerate nuts CAN eat different seeds as long as they pay very close attention to avoiding cross contamination through roasting oils and processing/handling procedures.  Check with your doctor(s) to see if a “clean” source of seeds would be safe for you to experiment with. 

Also, for those with peanut allergies: peanuts are not nuts, but are actually legumes that grow underground.  Check with your doctor(s) if you are unsure about your allergy status when it comes to nuts and seeds. 

Incorporating nuts & seeds into your life: 

The easiest way to add nuts and seeds into your diet is to eat a handful of them.  Throwing a bag of mixed nuts in your bag for the day, into a backpack for a hike, or into your desk drawer/glove compartment is a good strategy if you are making the transition away from junk food.  I know from experience that once you are hungry, stressed, and tired -- anything goes!  Having healthy options near at hand that require no effort other than chewing can break this cycle.  Nuts lend themselves well to this strategy as do some seeds like sunflower, but many seeds like chia or flax aren’t easy to eat this way.  Let’s look at a few other options. 

Mixing into foods: 

Small seeds, chopped nuts, and ground hard seeds like flax and milk thistle can be sprinkled onto or mixed into foods easily.  I mix ground flax seeds and hemp hearts into my daily smoothies to make this easy on me.  Pine nuts are a tasty addition to pesto and other fatty nuts like walnuts make great and more affordable substitutes. 

Nut and seed butters: 

Grinding nuts and seeds into a paste produces butters that can be spread onto other foods and enjoyed in this manner.  Apple slices with almond butter is one of my favorite snacks!  Many grocery stores have nut butter grinders in their bulk sections, giving you access to easy to spread deliciousness without any additives.  Take a look at the label on your current favorite nut butter jar and you may be amazed at what you find in the ingredient list! 

Chia pudding: 

This is hands down my favorite way to enjoy chia seeds!  This dairy free dessert/breakfast may become a fast favorite for you as well: 

Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup chia seeds

• 2 cups dairy-free milk

• Optional but recommended: your favorite spice blend, a bit of sweetener 

Directions: 

1. Mix all ingredients together well - a blender is not necessary but is handy

2. Place mixture into your refrigerator or an icebox

3. Wait 2-4 hours or overnight

4. Enjoy your pudding topped with your favorite toppings 

The absolutely most decadent way I’ve found to enjoy chia pudding is to create a German chocolate version adding toasted unsweetened coconut, cocoa powder, sliced almonds, and mini chocolate chips.  I add half of these when creating the pudding and sprinkle the other half on top when I enjoy this treat.  I prefer 1-2 Tbsp of dark maple syrup as a sweetener for this recipe.  I’ve also had fun creating an apple pie and pumpkin pie version, or by simply mixing in fresh berries or a scoop of homemade jam. 

Nut and seed “milks”

These can be purchased at the grocery store, or quite easily made at home without any added preservatives.  My favorite is hemp milk, as it’s the easiest non-dairy recipe I’ve yet come across.

Hemp “milk”

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup hemp hearts

• 2-3 cups water

Directions: 

1. Add ingredients to a blender 

2. Blend well (1-2 minutes)

3. Pour into a container and chill

4. Shake container before each use to resuspend any precipitating hemp heart pieces.  No need to strain. 

Other recipes: 

I have written up a handful of useful recipes that I go back to frequently like banana flax bread, seed cereal, and flax crackers.  Take a look at my flax seed recipes articles to find them. 

Do you have some favorite nut and seed recipes that you would like to share?  I’m sure we would all love to hear about them!

One more note: when you can, opt for raw nuts and seeds over ones that have been roasted and salted, and unground seeds that you can grind yourself in an inexpensive coffee grinder.  This will increase the nutritional value of your food.  The less processing, the more nutritionally intact all foods are.  This is especially important with vitamin C and fats which oxidize quickly losing their antioxidant capacity.  It’s like eating a dirty sponge instead of a clean one - yuck!  

Next Week: 

Next week, we will continue our exploration of different foods by turning our attention to fruit - yum!

To our health!