So much of weight loss and diet control involves consuming
natural food in moderation on a long-term basis.
One of those foods we get from nature is nuts, and though many people tend to shy away from them because of their fat content, there is strong evidence that adding nuts to your diet plan can actually cause you to lose weight. Even though in testing the weight loss results were small, considering they are heart healthy and lower your diabetes risk, everyone concerned with their health should add them to their diet.
Until recently it was widely believed that the fat we consumed was directly proportional to weight gain, and they were to be avoided even more than sugar. That thinking has changed, as healthy fats are now considered essential to healthy diet, with a few caveats. They have to be consumed in moderation and they should be natural and not processed. The key to using nuts for weight loss is to substitute, not add. In other words, substitute snacking on whole-grains, long touted as the healthy snack for the heart with a mixture of nuts is a far more healthy option.
Here are a few reasons why eating nuts are a great way to control weight:
1. Helps to boost metabolism. This fat-burning food will convince your body to use greater amounts of energy, and if coupled with a program for building muscle or high intensity aerobics your body will burn more calories.
2. Low in sugar. Reducing sugar in your system is something practically all of us can do with, which makes nuts as opposed to most snack food a healthy alternative. Many nuts, particularly walnuts, have high amounts of Omega-3 fats, which most of us need more of.
3. Nuts make you feel full. Because they are high in fiber and healthy fats, you will not feel hungry as quickly, therefore postponing snacking. The importance of fiber in the digestive system has long been recognized.
In addition to losing weight, nuts are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Their numerous health benefits include lowering systolic blood pressure, a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome along with obesity, especially in the abdominal area.
Their multiple vascular benefits are due to the amino acid L-arginine, which our bodies will not produce in sufficient quantities and therefore must be obtained in our diet. This not only is important in heart health, but now is linked to possibly slowing down the aging process.
So with all these benefits we get from eating nuts, which are the healthiest. If you had to choose only one, it may be almonds, but you don't have to choose just one. Different nuts have differing nutritional benefits, so it's best, like with vegetables, to incorporate a variety.
Since they have significant quantities of calories, you can't eat massive quantities and expect great results. But if most of your diet is composed of low-calorie foods like vegetables and lean meats, two ounces of nuts per day should not put you over your daily calorie limits.
One of those foods we get from nature is nuts, and though many people tend to shy away from them because of their fat content, there is strong evidence that adding nuts to your diet plan can actually cause you to lose weight. Even though in testing the weight loss results were small, considering they are heart healthy and lower your diabetes risk, everyone concerned with their health should add them to their diet.
Until recently it was widely believed that the fat we consumed was directly proportional to weight gain, and they were to be avoided even more than sugar. That thinking has changed, as healthy fats are now considered essential to healthy diet, with a few caveats. They have to be consumed in moderation and they should be natural and not processed. The key to using nuts for weight loss is to substitute, not add. In other words, substitute snacking on whole-grains, long touted as the healthy snack for the heart with a mixture of nuts is a far more healthy option.
Here are a few reasons why eating nuts are a great way to control weight:
1. Helps to boost metabolism. This fat-burning food will convince your body to use greater amounts of energy, and if coupled with a program for building muscle or high intensity aerobics your body will burn more calories.
2. Low in sugar. Reducing sugar in your system is something practically all of us can do with, which makes nuts as opposed to most snack food a healthy alternative. Many nuts, particularly walnuts, have high amounts of Omega-3 fats, which most of us need more of.
3. Nuts make you feel full. Because they are high in fiber and healthy fats, you will not feel hungry as quickly, therefore postponing snacking. The importance of fiber in the digestive system has long been recognized.
In addition to losing weight, nuts are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Their numerous health benefits include lowering systolic blood pressure, a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome along with obesity, especially in the abdominal area.
Their multiple vascular benefits are due to the amino acid L-arginine, which our bodies will not produce in sufficient quantities and therefore must be obtained in our diet. This not only is important in heart health, but now is linked to possibly slowing down the aging process.
So with all these benefits we get from eating nuts, which are the healthiest. If you had to choose only one, it may be almonds, but you don't have to choose just one. Different nuts have differing nutritional benefits, so it's best, like with vegetables, to incorporate a variety.
Since they have significant quantities of calories, you can't eat massive quantities and expect great results. But if most of your diet is composed of low-calorie foods like vegetables and lean meats, two ounces of nuts per day should not put you over your daily calorie limits.
There are many foods that are not only delicious but are good for you. Nuts are known to help certain health conditions plus control weight. Check out this page on ways to use garlic in your cooking, which is another food great for your health. Rich Carroll is a writer and avid health advocate now living in Chicago.
