The nutritionist listed 5 reasons why it is beneficial to eat nuts

The fact that healthy snacks conquer not only store shelves, but also shopping baskets is also shown in the store data. According to the Maxima retail chain, nut sales increased 4% in 2016 compared to 2017, and in the first half of 2019 and 2020, nut sales increased up to 10.3%. By way of comparison, sales of chocolate bars, candy, etc., fell 6.8 percent at the same time. This shows increased consumer interest in healthy snacks: nuts.

A survey on the eating habits of the population of the Baltic countries carried out last year showed an interesting fact: 35% of people in Lithuania consume walnuts at least once a week, 25% in Latvia and 26% in Estonia. The survey results show that hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts are the most popular in Lithuania, more than half of the respondents buy them once a month (54-57%), pistachios and peanuts were bought for about half of survey participants during the same period (49-50%). .)

“We are also seeing growing consumer interest: Compared to 2019 and 2020, sales of nuts, dried fruit, berries and mixes grew 19 percent. The biggest jump, up to 26 percent, increased cashews and even 28 percent – Arimex Student Food Sales As we assess current consumer trends, we believe that growth in walnut sales will continue as people become more interested in various diets and understand the benefits of walnuts and dried fruits, so they increasingly choose them over sweets or other unhealthy snacks, “said Gražvydas, CEO of Arimex. Jukna.

The dietitian highlighted the benefits of walnuts

Nuts are a highly valued source of food and energy. Many of them are used for cooking, eaten raw, sprouted, or roasted as snacks and pressed in oil, which is used in cooking and in the manufacture of various cosmetics. And what are its benefits for our well-being and health?

Consuming walnuts can help boost immunity. According to nutritionist and dietitian Vaida Kurpienė, walnuts are useful in their own way throughout the year. In the cold season, it is recommended to include in your diet almonds, walnuts or bertoletia, cedar pine, hazelnuts, cashews due to their good fats, fiber and antioxidants; play an important role in strengthening immunity.

It can help lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the body. A 12-week study in overweight people showed that the triglycerides that ate pistachios were close to 33%. lower than the control group. In a study of women with metabolic syndrome, eating a handful (30 grams) of a mixture of walnuts, peanuts, and pine nuts per day showed a significant reduction in all types of cholesterol except good cholesterol.

All nuts are a great source of vitamins and minerals. They are also rich in folic acid, proteins and essential minerals: magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and selenium and zinc.

“Hazelnuts are valuable not only for their unsaturated fat, but also for the vitamin B6, folic acid, phosphorus, potassium and zinc they contain. Almonds are high in calcium, which is especially important for people who do not consume dairy products. Cashews are a very good source of copper, magnesium, and manganese; are important nutrients for energy production, brain and bone health, immunity. I recommend including all kinds of nuts in my diet, ”said V. Kurpienė.

It can help promote heart health. Results from one of the largest walnut health studies to date have shown that eating several servings of walnuts each week can significantly reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Harvard researchers analyzed 32-year data from more than 210,000 health professionals. They compared people who never or almost never ate nuts with people who ate a handful of nuts five or more times a week. In the study, 14% of the people consumed nuts. lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 20%. lower risk of coronary heart disease. Marta Guasch-Ferré, a researcher at the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School in Chano and lead author of the study, said that it is advisable to include different nuts in your diet because each species has different nutrients.

Nuts are a healthy and filling snack that can help with weight management. In the cold season, we move less, which means that we are more likely to gain extra pounds. For this reason, walnuts are a valuable snack because it only takes a small handful to feel full and avoid unhealthy foods.

“In the fall and winter, we feel sluggish, harder to focus, so when there’s a lack of energy, it’s easier to be tempted by sweets and unhealthy snacks. If we had walnuts in our bag every day, we would eat comfortably, quickly and healthily and avoid empty calories and overeating at night, ”said V. Kurpienė.

Walnuts (especially almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts) are also rich in fiber, which acts as a prebiotic, improving intestinal function.