The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet - Dr. Michael Murray, N.D.

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The Importance of Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet

 

Introduction

 

Nuts and seeds are the vehicle for plant reproduction. Locked inside

them is the potential for an entire plant. It is truly amazing to

think that a giant oak tree began its life as an acorn. A nut

commonly refers to the shell-encased seeds of a tree, however, one

of the chief foods that we consider as a nut, the peanut, does not

fit the strict definition of a nut as it is actually a legume.

 

In the United States, peanuts are by far the leading nut crop as

they account for greater than 70% of the yearly nut production.

Peanuts are followed by almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Unfortunately,

most nuts are being consumed after they have been fried in fat and

salted or as ingredients in cookies, candies, and confections. I

definitely advocate the use of mostly raw or lightly roasted fresh

nuts and seeds rather than commercially roasted and salted nuts and

seeds.

 

 

Health benefits

 

As more Americans are seeking healthier food choices, nut and seed

consumption is on the rise. Nuts and seeds provide excellent human

nutrition, they are especially good sources of essential fatty

acids, vitamin E, protein, and minerals. They also provide valuable

fiber components, important phytonutrients in nuts and seeds include

protease inhibitors, ellagic acid, and other polyphenols.

 

Because of the high oil content of nuts and seeds, one would suspect

that the frequent consumption of nuts would increase the rate of

obesity. But, in a large population study of 26,473 Americans it was

found that the people who consumed the most nuts were less obese. A

possible explanation is that the nuts produced satiety, a feeling of

appetite satisfaction. This same study also demonstrated that higher

nut consumption was associated with a protective effect against

heart attacks (both fatal and nonfatal). Four other large studies,

including the Nurses Health Study, the Iowa Health Study, and the

Physicians Health Study, all found that nut consumption is linked to

a lower risk for heart disease. Researchers who studied data from

the Nurses Health Study estimated that substituting nuts for an

equivalent amount of carbohydrate in an average diet resulted in a

30% reduction in heart disease risk. Researchers calculated even

more impressive risk reduction--45%--when fat from nuts was

substituted for saturated fats (found primarily found in meat and

dairy products).1

 

 

Nuts Provide Arginine

 

Nuts are the best dietary source for arginine - an amino acid that

plays an important role in wound healing, detoxification reactions,

immune functions, and promoting the secretion of several hormones

including insulin and growth hormone. Recently there has been a

considerable amount of scientific investigation regarding arginine's

role in the formation of nitric oxide. This compound plays a central

role in determining the tone of blood vessels. Specifically, it

exerts a relaxing effect on blood vessels thereby improving blood

flow. Normally, the body makes enough arginine, even when the diet

is lacking. However, in some instances the body may not be able to

keep up with increased requirements and higher dietary intakes may

prove useful.

 

Arginine supplementation has been shown to boost immune function and

be beneficial in a number of cardiovascular diseases including

angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and

peripheral vascular insufficiency (decreased blood flow to the legs

or arms). By increasing nitric oxide levels, arginine

supplementation improves blood flow, reduces blood clot formation,

and improves blood fluidity (the blood becomes less viscous and,

therefore, flows through blood vessels more easily). The degree of

improvement offered by arginine supplementation in angina and other

cardiovascular diseases can be quite significant as a result of

improved nitric oxide levels. These benefits may also be attainable

by eating foods high in arginine like nuts.2

 

 

Nut Consumption and Diabetes Risk

 

Nut consumption has also been shown to lower the risk for diabetes.

This benefit may relate to their ability to improve cell membrane

structure and function. According to modern pathology, or the study

of disease processes, an alteration in cell membrane function is the

central factor in the development of virtually every disease. As it

relates to diabetes, abnormal cell membrane structure due to eating

the wrong types of fats lead to impaired action of insulin.

 

The type of dietary fat profile linked to type 2 diabetes is an

abundance of saturated fat and trans fatty acids (margarine) along

with a relative insufficiency of monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty

acids. One of the key reasons appears to be the fact that since

dietary fat determines cell membrane composition such a dietary

pattern leads to reduced membrane fluidity which in turn causes

reduced insulin binding to receptors on cellular membranes and/or

reduced insulin action. Particularly harmful to cell membrane

function are margarine and other foods containing trans fatty acids

and partially hydrogenated oils.

 

In contrast, to the dampening of insulin sensitivity caused by

margarine and saturated fats, clinical studies have shown that

monounsaturated fats and omega-3 oils improve insulin action.3

Adding further support is that fact that population studies have

also indicated that frequent consumption of monounsaturated fats

such as olive oil, nuts, and nut oils and omega-3 fatty acids from

fish protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. For

example, one recent study showed that that consumption of nuts was

inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes, independent of

known risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including age, obesity,

family history of diabetes, physical activity, smoking, and other

dietary factors. What the term inversely associated means is that

the higher the intake of nuts, the less likely a woman would develop

type 2 diabetes. What was really amazing was that this relationship

was seen even in woman who were obese.4

 

In addition to nut consumption, in order to improve cell membrane

structure and function I recommend using RxOmega-3 Factors - a

pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement from Natural Factors. The

benefits of the omega-3 oils from fish oils well known. Adding a

fish oil supplement to your daily routine provides extra insurance

that you are getting sufficient levels of these important oils.

Using a high quality fish oil supplement is the perfect solution to

people wanting the health benefits of fish oils without the mercury

and other contaminants often found in fish. Each capsule of RxOmega-

3 Factors provides 600 mg of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (400 mg

EPA/200 mg DHA). We recommend one capsule daily for general health,

if greater support is needed the dosage increases to two to three

capsules daily.

 

 

Cooking with Nut Oils

 

The best oils to cook with in baking recipes, stir fries, and

sautés, are the monounsaturated oils. While olive oil and canola oil

are by far the most popular monounsaturated fats in use, nut oils

may prove superior to both. In particular, macadamia nut oil is

superior to cook with because of lower level of polyunsaturated oil

(3% for macadamia nut oil vs. 8% for olive and 23% for canola). As a

result, while olive oil and canola oil can form lipid peroxides at

relatively low cooking temperatures, macadamia nut oil is stable at

much higher temperatures (over twice that of olive oil and four

times more stable than canola). Macadamia oil, like olive oil is

also very high in natural anti-oxidants. In fact it contains over

4.5 times the amount of vitamin E as olive oil. For more information

on macadamia nut oil, visit www.macnutoil.com.

 

 

Selecting and Storing Nuts and Seeds

 

In general, nuts and seeds, due to their high oil content, are best

purchased and stored in their shells. The shell is a natural

protector against free radical damage caused by light and air. Make

sure the shells are free from splits, cracks, stains, holes, or

other surface imperfections. Do not eat or use moldy nuts or seeds

as this may not be safe. Also avoid limp, rubbery, dark, or

shriveled nut meats. Store nuts and seeds with shells in a cool, dry

environment. If whole nuts and seeds with their shells are not

available, make sure they are stored in air-tight containers in the

refrigerator or freezer. Crushed, slivered, and nut pieces are most

often rancid. Prepare your own from the whole nut if a recipe calls

for these.

 

In addition to simply eating nuts and seeds as snacks, they can be

added to many foods for the unique flavor. With the aid of a food

processor, nut and seed butters can be prepared. Most nuts and seeds

have enough natural oils, but occasionally you may need to add some

additional oil. Keep nut butters in air-tight containers in the

refrigerator.

 

 

Practical Application

 

Try to have at least one serving of nuts or seeds (one serving

equals 1/4 cup) and 3 tablespoons of the healthy oils daily. Use

olive, macadamia, or canola oil to replace the butter, margarine,

and shortening that you use for cooking. Use flaxseed or olive oil

in homemade salad dressings. Avoid using safflower, sunflower, soy

and corn oil because they contain too much omega 6 fatty acid.

 

My last recommendation is to try to mix it up a bit, by eating a

variety of nuts and seeds such as almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts,

pecans, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

 

 

 

Key References:

 

Hu FB, Stampfer MJ. Nut consumption and risk of coronary heart

disease: a review of epidemiologic evidence. Curr Atheroscler Rep

1999;1(3):204-9, 1999

Flynn NE, Meininger CJ, Haynes TE, Wu G. The metabolic basis of

arginine nutrition and pharmacotherapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2002;56

(9):427-38.

Rivellese AA, De Natale C, Lilli S. Type of dietary fat and insulin

resistance. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002;967:329-35.

Jiang R, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, et al. Nut and peanut butter

consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. JAMA 2002;288

(20):2554-60.

 

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