What is the healthiest way to eat nuts?
Although it is popular opinion that it is better to eat nuts raw, this is not true.
Accredited Practicing Dietitian and founder of Travelling Dietitian, Kara Landau has said that unless nuts are roasted to a blackened crisp, their nutritional value won’t be depleted.
“As long as roasted nuts are cooked at between 120-160 degrees Celsius, all the delicate essential fatty acids should remain intact,” Kara told Nine News.
“Some B group vitamins may be lost, however considering nuts are not typically a main contributor of B group vitamins in the diet, this shouldn’t deter anyone who prefers their nuts roasted.”
Another concern of roasted nuts is that they have a higher fat content if they are cooked in oil but it is so minimal that the amount is “negligible”.
“Due to the high fat content and density of nuts, they are unable to absorb much extra fat when roasted in oil,” Kara said.
“They only increase their total fat profile minimally; there can be up to approximately a 5 percent increase in fat content when a raw nut is oil roasted.”
It is better to eat nuts however you prefer to eat them rather than eating a snack that has high-sugar and low-nutritional value.
“If you are otherwise not going to consume nuts regularly, and you find that by lightly roasting them their appeal enhances significantly, then I believe this is a great option that is still wonderfully healthy, and ensures you get all of the nutritional benefits that nuts can provide in your daily diet,” Kara said.
To roast nuts, spread them on a baking tray and put them in the oven at a temperature between 120°C to 160°C for 12 to 20 minutes. Once you can smell them, it is an indication that they are done.
Roasting nuts can have health benefits such as breaking down phytic acid, a component of nuts and grains that can reduce the amount of nutrients our body can absorb from nuts because our body lacks the enzyme to digest phytic acid. Phytic acid also binds to essential minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium, so we don’t digest as much of these.
“Soaking raw nuts in water overnight and then placing them in a dehydrator to break down some of the phytic acid and ensure the micronutrients are still intact, is one of the healthiest ways to eat them,” Kara said.
“It can also ‘awaken’ beneficial enzymes within the nut to improve digestibility.”
The benefits of roasting nuts depend on how much of the essential mineral intake you are getting from nuts. It is likely that they don’t make up enough of your diet for “activating” them to make an impact to your diet and overall health.
“Raw, dry roasted, and oil roasted nuts all provide rich sources of protein, fibre, healthy fats, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium,” Kara explained.
“I believe preparing nuts in a way that makes you want to go back and incorporate them each day into your diet is the best way to prepare them.”