Nuts about nuts
A no-cook snack that’s high in protein and fibre, but also contains ‘good fats’
at is a great fuel – a gram of fat contains 9kcals compared to 4kcals for a gram of protein or carbs – and excess fat functions as a future energy source. Consider who might survive longer in the jungle, Ray Mears or Tadej Pogačar. There’s a reason Ray carries extra timber. Yet not all fats are created equal.
Saturated fat, for example in meat, butter and palm oil, and trans-fat, mostly found in processed food, can raise ‘bad’ low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. But unsaturated fats like those in the nuts in this recipe? Now you’re cooking with a fire you made from strands of sheep’s wool and a stick.
Monounsaturated fats, for example in the Brazil nuts and almonds here, help maintain ‘good’ high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which is used to remove LDL cholesterol via the liver; polyunsaturated fats contain essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6; and both fats are crucial for absorption and transportation of ‘fat-soluble’ vitamins A, D, E and K in the body.
Plus the body can’t synthesise omega-3 and omega-6 (hence the term ‘essential’) yet both help to lower inflammation and maintain both a healthy immune system and a good heart. The 22-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid even makes up about 8% of our brain weight and contributes to its development and function.
But, frankly, all you really need to know is that walnuts are possibly kings of the nuts with 8.5g omega-3 fats and 36g omega-6 fats per 100g. It’s great news for the nut lobby but, as with any calorierich food, remember that a little goes a long way.
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