Eat more nuts to lose weight

June 16, 10:07 AMSeattle Vegan ExaminerVirginia Messina, MPH, RD

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Seattle Vegan Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

 

Having trouble losing weight on your vegan diet? Maybe you aren’t eating enough nuts.

Researchers have known for years that nuts are good for you and have beneficial effects on heart health and type-2 diabetes. They are good source of minerals, too, especially for vegans. But some weight watchers shun nuts because they’re high in fat. That’s a mistake since there is growing evidence that nuts can also help with weight control.

The newest evidence comes from the Nurses’ Health Study. The researchers tracked weight gain among 51,188 women between 1991 and 1999. The women were divided into four groups according to how often they ate nuts. Overall, the participants in all groups experienced some weight gain during the time period. But those who ate the most nuts (two or more times per week) had smaller weight gains than those who hardly ever ate nuts. Women who ate nuts also had a slightly lower risk for obesity.

Even when calorie intake was similar among the women, eating nuts seemed to help stem weight gain. The relationship held for both tree nuts and peanuts, but was stronger for tree nuts. And peanut butter wasn’t related to weight gain one way or the other in this study—although other studies show it to be beneficial. (Peanuts are actually legumes, but they are often given honorary nut status because of their high fat content.)

Nuts are unique foods because they are high in protein, fiber and fat. Their consumption may give a boost to the enhanced metabolism that normally occurs after a meal. Protein and fiber are also related to better hunger control. And, whole nuts are hard to chew completely, which may cause some of their fat to pass right through the intestines. This may help explain why peanut butter didn’t have the same benefits as whole nuts in this study.

While eating some nuts may be helpful, there is no evidence that eating lots of nuts is better. Eat too many of these fat-rich foods and their high calorie content may start to defeat their benefits. A good goal for weight watchers or anyone who wants to eat healthfully is 1/8 to 1/4 cup of nuts per day, spread out across meals and snacks. It's easy to add nuts to a healthful vegan diet; sprinkle them on oatmeal or salads, or make a quick pilaf by mixing toasted nuts into brown rice or other whole grains.