Aashu’s Dilemma
Every year, Aashu enters the month of January with a weight loss resolution but he fails miserably. In 2024, he has already gained 5kgs rather than losing them. This is an alarming situation for him and he needs to rethink about his dietary plans.
One of his friends suggested cutting down on high-calorie foods and increasing the portion of high-fibre foods in his meals. He also advised him to have good quantities of nuts included in his diet. So, now he is again searching the internet to get a list of nuts for weight loss.
How do Nuts help in Weight Loss?
Throughout the world, nuts are used to add taste, flavour and aroma to cuisines. You can consume them in a variety of ways- add them while preparing any dish, use them as a topping or just roast them and eat.
Not a single diet plan can be effective without including nuts in the list of preferred foods. Loaded with essential nutrients and minerals, nuts have numerous health benefits. Also, when you talk about nuts & weight loss, then having nuts can be beneficial. Most of us are confused when nuts and weight loss are associated with each other.
Research throughout the world has shown that although nuts are high in calories, consuming nuts rather promotes weight loss. Most nuts are loaded with good cholesterols like HDL and triglycerides in certain nuts that can cut down the fat deposits in your body putting down weight.
The high fibre content of fibre also makes nuts a great option for achieving your BMI goals. Fibre as a compound helps you feel fuller for a long time thus, you can avoid unhealthy snacking and remain committed to your diet plan.
“Generally, all nuts are good sources of healthy monounsaturated fats, protein, fiber, and many different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants”.
– Dietitian Maggie Michalczyk, RD
Let us make a list and prove nuts are good for weight loss by mentioning their content and ways of consumption.
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List of Nuts for Weight Loss
This list will include commonly used nuts that you can easily buy from your nearby grocery store. We knows that they are healthy and nutritious but are unaware of how they can be helpful in weight loss:
Almonds
Whether you are a foody or a dieter, you can not be unaware of the health benefits of Almonds. This nut has a reputation for being a good source of high fats, protein and fibre. All of these play a vital role in helping you lose your waistline.
A recent study has found that people who add 20 grams of Almond to their daily intake are more successful in weight loss goals than others. Also, they carry unsaturated fats that are healthy for the heart and replace the saturated fats in your body.
Lastly, research has even indicated that almonds have specific properties to prevent complete absorption of fat in cells. This can lower your calorie intake.
Best way to consume – Soaked & Roasted
Walnuts
Someone in your family might have advised you to consume Walnuts to enhance your memory. But this nut can even beneficial to you achieving your dietary goals. Omega-3 fatty acid is a major content present in walnuts that not only helps in improving your brain functioning but it can also help you in regulating your hunger.
On a calorie basis, 28 grams of walnut carries 183 calories. Although loaded with calories, walnuts can boost up the burning of fats and calories. Recent studies have shown that overweight people who regularly consume walnuts have a faster calorie-burning rate than others.
Best way to consume – Soaked, Use in salads & smoothies
Pistachios
Green-coloured nut packed in a shell, pistachios can impact your weight loss goals. Pistachios are a great source of dietary fibre and consuming them in the breakfast can help you in avoiding high-calorie foods. Even in comparison to other nuts, pistachios have fewer calories.
Also, more than 10% of pistachios content is protein. So, you can replace them with high-carb protein foods such as red meat & chicken. A recent study has proved that if you have a daily consumption of pistachios, then it could impact your BMI positively.
Best way to consume – Raw without shell, Roasted, Topping on desserts, salads & smoothies
Cashews
Popular among Indians for preparing gravies due to their taste and flavour, cashew nuts are also effective for weight loss. They are loaded with various essential nutrients namely proteins, dietary fibres and healthy fats, so if you consume only a handful of them, you will feel satiated for hours. This will help you in restricting your calorie intake.
Cashews are also good for controlling your sudden hunger prangs. The presence of dietary fibres in them can contribute to boosting your metabolism and faster burning of calories. This means you can lose weight faster without nutritional deficiencies.
Best way to consume – Raw, Soaked, Roasted, Add in Smoothies and Shakes
Brazil Nuts
If you are searching the list of nuts for weight loss, then it would be incomplete without mentioning Brazil nuts. Similar to other nuts, they carry a good quantity of protein and dietary fibres helpful for weight loss. Also, the presence of other minerals like magnesium, phosphorus and selenium is beneficial in controlling calorie intake.
In an American study, 40 women were advised to consume Cashews and Brazil nuts on a daily basis. The results show that the consumption of Brazil nuts accelerated the growth of beneficial bacteria that can reduce the absorption of fats. Out of 40, 25 women registered weight loss.
Best way to consume – Raw, Roasted, Grind and mix in recipes, salads and milk
Raisins
Your mother has advised you to have soaked raisins in the morning for improved digestion but one hidden benefit of raisins is weight loss. Having raisins in the morning can suppress your appetite. This is good for avoiding high-calorie foods in breakfast. Leptin, a natural sugar present in raisins is known for killing fat cells.
If you are a workout enthusiast and want something healthy in your pre-workout snacks, then raisins are a good option. They are a good source of natural sugars like fructose, which means you will feel energetic throughout your workout session.
Best way to consume – Soaked, Drink raisin water or Use as toppings on Salads & Recipes
Dates
Many of us like eating Dates due to their caramel-like taste but you would be surprised to know that they are beneficial in weight loss as well. Dates are mostly consumed in the Middle East but in recent years, Indians are also including them in their diets.
They are low in fats but high in fibre and a good source of natural sugars. You can also substitute refined sugar with date paste while preparing sweets and other meals. Similar to other nuts, dates consumption to reduce weight depends on its eating time. You can have them in the morning before breakfast or as a pre-workout snack.
Best way to consume – Raw, Drink as a smoothie or Add as a natural sweetener in desserts
Hazel Nuts
Another entry in the list of nuts that can help you in achieving your weight goals is hazelnuts. Loaded with proteins and fibres it will help you in restricting your calorie intake. One special thing about hazelnuts is that they can contribute to proper bowel movements and prevent constipation.
The presence of healthy fats in hazelnuts can lead to a cut down of unhealthy fats and cholesterols in the body. Also, you can add crushed hazelnuts as a dressing on salads and smoothies to make them healthier and more nutritious.
Best way to consume – Raw with the skin, Add in smoothies and salads or Eat before workout
Apricots
Less in calories and high in fibre, Apricots can be beneficial to counter overeating. Dried apricots are a great source of natural sugars such as fructose and sucrose. Due to the presence of fibre along with these sugars, apricots can slow down the dissolution of sugar in blood. This helps to feel energetic for a longer time.
Other than consumption to reduce weight, you can have apricots for gut and skin health. You can use apricots in sweets and different cuisines to replace refined sugar. Eating dried apricots is recommended but people with type-2 diabetes should avoid them due to their sugary content.
Best way to consume – Eat fresh or dried, Add in salads & yogurts or Use in cooking
Figs
Due to their prebiotic properties, figs provide essential nutrients that support the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system. This is helpful to reduce the absorption of fats in your body cells and limit weight gain. Again, Figs have a lot of proteins and fibre to minimise your meal size.
Other than consuming dried figs, you can use them in preparing desserts to avoid refined sugars in your diet. Other than weight loss, they are also beneficial in preventing the occurrence of certain kinds of cancers.
Other than above mentioned nuts you can also add peanuts, pine nuts and prunes to your diet plans to achieve your desired weight goal.
Best way to consume – Eat fresh or dried, Soaked, Take as yogurt or milkshake
Conclusion
Aashu is ready to add certain nuts to his grocery purchasing as he is aware that adding nuts to his diet will help him in achieving his New Year resolution. He has told his mother to avoid using refined sugar in desserts and he is planning to have this year’s Diwali sweets prepared by using the natural sweetness of nuts.
Not only in weight loss, nuts have numerous other health benefits and it is compulsion to have them in meals if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat them in the morning or add them in salads or smoothies there are various ways in which you can consume them without any additional effort.
