Of all Primal-approved food categories, none is more bedeviling to even seasoned followers of the lifestyle than nuts. The questions never end. What is a nut? When you’ve got all these nut-like gymnosperms, drupes, and legumes masquerading as nuts, what even qualifies as an actual nut? Does it even matter? Or phytic acid. Is it or isn’t it a problem? And soaking — am I supposed to soak every type of nut, just some nuts, or none of them? Aren’t nuts really high in omega-6s, which we’re supposedly trying to limit or at least balance with our omega-3 intake? How do we reconcile that conflict? Why is “hazelnut” one word, while “pine nut” is two?
I’m out of breath, but this is a fairly representative sample of the nut-related questions I receive from readers. It is confusing, so today I’m going to give you the definitive guide to nuts. After today’s post, you’ll have a solid grasp of which nuts you should and maybe shouldn’t be eating.
Almonds
Remember when you discovered almond meal? Suddenly, the world got a whole lot bigger and brighter. You cranked out Primal pancakes, cupcakes, cookies. You dusted chunks of chicken with powdered almonds before plopping them in hot oil to produce a chicken nugget that even Loren Cordain would begrudgingly accept. And then you gained some weight back, and your stomach felt kind of funny, and you started worrying about your PUFA ratios. So the almond meal got thrown out, and the sack of raw almonds soon followed. But wait: almonds themselves aren’t the problem. Your inability to moderate your use of almond meal is the problem. Give almonds another chance.
In an ounce:
163 calories
6 g carbs: 3.5 g fiber
14 g fat: 8.8 g MUFA, 3.4 g linoleic acid (LA), 1.1 g SFA
6 g protein
50% vitamin E
22% vitamin B2
31% copper
18% magnesium
28% manganese
Benefits:
Almond consumption improves fatty acid profile of serum lipids.
Almonds reduce lipid oxidation biomarkers in older adults.
Almonds reduce 24-hour insulin secretion in non-diabetics.
Almonds improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetics.
Almonds improve satiety and postprandial glucose when consumed as snacks and do not increase overall energy intake.
Almonds possess potent prebiotic fibers, particularly in the skins.
Almond consumption improves the endocrine profile of women with PCOS.
Concerns:
Almonds are a thirsty crop, with 10% of California’s yearly water usage devoted to growing almonds.
Phytate levels are high in almonds. Phytate has both good and bad sides (binds minerals and prevents their absorption on one hand, may be converted into beneficial compounds in the gut and have anti-cancer effects on the other), but a good compromise is to avoid a nut-heavy diet. Almonds are snacks and supplements, not the main course. Soaking and/or roasting almonds can also reduce phytate levels.
Raw almonds are hard to procure. Most almonds advertised as raw on store shelves have been pasteurized. Purchasing directly from the producer/farmer can help you obtain truly raw, unpasteurized almonds.
Can you soak? Yes. 12 hours.
Brazil Nuts
Lining the banks of South American rivers are towering trees whose falling fruits are large and hard enough to stave in skulls. On the bright side, cracking open the fruit reveals up to 24 triangular, hard-shelled seeds containing delicious, slightly sweet nuts. These are Brazil nuts, and they deserve a spot in anyone’s diet.
In an ounce:
186 calories
3.5 g carbs: 2.1 g fiber
18.8 g fat: 7 g MUFA, 5.8 g LA, 4.3 g SFA
4.1 g protein
15% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
55% copper
25% magnesium
15% manganese
988% selenium
Benefits:
The incredible selenium levels are the most obvious benefit to Brazil nuts, as unless you’re regularly eating animal kidneys and wild salmon, selenium can be hard to come by. But selenium is incredibly important for thyroid function, antioxidant capacity, immune function, cardiovascular health, cancer protection, and, you know what? It figures into just about every aspect of our health. And you don’t need to eat an ounce of Brazil nuts to get the benefits. A nut or two a day will get you adequate selenium.
Brazil nuts acutely lower inflammation.
A single serving of Brazil nuts improves lipid profiles.
Brazil nuts improve selenium status, glutathione activity, and lower inflammation.
Concerns:
The extreme selenium density of Brazil nuts causes some to worry about selenium toxicity, but I personally don’t. Extremely high doses of selenium in the form of Brazil nuts appear to be safe.
Phytate levels are high in Brazil nuts, but since you don’t need to eat very many to obtain the benefits, it shouldn’t be problem.
Can you soak? Unclear. Some say yes, some say no. Do a trial run of a few hours with a couple nuts before soaking the whole batch.
Cashews
Cashews also hail from Brazil, where they grow alongside a strange fruit called the cashew apple. The apple itself is actually edible and, from what I hear, quite delicious. The cashew shell, however, is lined with a poisonous resin called cashew balm. (Whatever you do, don’t put the balm on.) Cashews themselves aren’t poisonous, because they arrive on store shelves well-laundered and ready for consumption. This also means that raw cashews aren’t exactly raw. They’re steamed (to extricate the nut from the shell).
In an ounce:
156.8 calories
8.6 g carbs: 0.9 g fiber
12.4 g fat: 6.7 g MUFA, 2.2 g LA, 2.2 g SFA
5.2 g protein
10% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
69% copper
24% iron
20% magnesium
20% manganese
15% zinc
Benefits:
There’s not a ton of research on cashews. What little exists isn’t very conclusive.
In one study, a high cashew diet had very little effect on markers of metabolic syndrome. If anything, blood glucose went up.
Another found that although a “prudent diet” containing cashews were higher in antioxidants than a control diet, it left serum antioxidant biomarkers unchanged.
One study did find that cashews improved baroreflex sensitivity, a marker of heart health.
On the whole, they’re probably fine to eat, but they aren’t superfoods.
Concerns:
Cashew allergy is more prevalent than people think, nearly as common as peanut, and it may even be more severe in children than peanut allergy. Cashew allergy often presents with mango allergy.
Easy to over consume. I think it’s the sweetness.
Can you soak? Yes, 2-4 hours.
Chestnuts
Though they hail from trees and enjoy membership in the nut club, chestnuts are unlike most other nuts: they’re starchy things, low in fat and protein, more akin to a tuber than a mac nut. But they’re decidedly Primal. They’re low in phytate, high in flavor, and can be eaten raw, roasted, or steamed. The taste of a perfectly well-roasted chestnut is uniquely satisfying. Nutty, sweet, tender. Kinda like Christmas.
In an ounce:
104.6 calories
22.2 g carbs: 3.3 g fiber
1.1 g fat
1.4 g protein
8% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
11% vitamin B6
8% folate
21% copper
15% manganese
Benefits:
Nutrient powerhouses these are not and few studies into the health effects exist. I’m sure they’re perfectly healthy. Just don’t expect miracles.
Concerns:
The carb content is high, as chestnuts are more of a starch than a classic fatty nut. That’s not to say you shouldn’t eat them. Just be aware of the carbs and treat them more like potatoes than almonds.
Chestnuts are really tricky to open. Anyone have a foolproof method?
Exploding chestnuts.
Can you soak? A half hour of soaking should make cooking and peeling easier.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts, AKA filberts, aren’t popular snacking nuts. Instead, you usually encounter them in desserts, baked goods, and chocolate confections. But according to archaeologists, hazelnut shells are “one of the most frequently recovered plant materials from Neolithic sites,” so humans have had an affinity for the filbert for millennia — and very likely much longer. As you’ll see from the list of benefits, I think our ancestors were really onto something.
In an ounce:
178 calories
4.7 g carbs: 2.7 g fiber
17.2 g fat: 12.9 MUFA, 2.2 LA, 1.3 SFA
4.2 g protein
15% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
28% vitamin E
54% copper
17% iron
11% magnesium
76% manganese
Benefits:
Hazelnut skin is “one of the richest edible sources of polyphenolic compounds,” with “3 times the TAC of whole walnuts, 7-8 times that of dark chocolate, 10 times that of espresso coffee, and 25 times that of blackberries.”
Hazelnuts improve lipid profiles, including a reduction in ApoB (a rough barometer for LDL particle number).
Hazelnut-enriched diets improve cardiovascular health beyond the effect they have on lipid profiles (which is positive by itself).
Hazelnuts also boost vitamin E status.
Hazelnuts reduce the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation.
Concerns:
Nutella is delicious, but it’s not an effective way to introduce hazelnut health benefits into your life. Sorry, guys.
Allergy, as always.
Moderately high in phytate.
Can you soak? 8-12 hours.
Macadamia Nuts
My favorite nut by far: the buttery, slightly sweet mac nut destroys all others. Sure, it may not have the densest nutrient profile. Sure, you’re not going to take care of your daily magnesium needs, and it has hardly any vitamin E at all (but that’s only because there’s no fragile PUFAs laying around requiring protection). But does every bite of every food we take need to be “optimized”? Or can it just be tasty and innocuous? And as you’ll see below, mac nuts do confer health benefits. I’ve yet to encounter a nut that doesn’t.
In an ounce:
203.5 calories
3.9 g carbs: 2.4 g fiber
21.5 g fat: 16.7 g MUFA, 0.4 g LA, 0.1 g alpha linolenic acid (ALA), 3.4 g SFA
2.2 g protein
28% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
24% copper
13% iron
51% manganese
Benefits:
Low in phytate. No need to soak or sprout or perform any complex nut preparation involving food dehydrators. Just eat.
Low in pesticide residues, even if conventionally grown. Organic mac nuts are great and all, but probably unnecessary if you don’t want to spend upwards of $20 a pound.
Low in omega-6 fats.
Mac nut consumption improves lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic men. And in women. And in young Japanese women. And in middle-aged Kurdish women with evidence of considerable Neanderthal admixture (just kidding).
Mac nuts lower biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Concerns:
A little too good. Mac nuts are energy dense as well, so just tossing back handful after handful adds up quickly.
Allergy, although this is uncommon.
Can you soak? No need. I just soak them in my digestive juices.
Pecans
Another nut usually reserved for dessert applications, the pecan is underrated and underutilized as a snack nut. I get it. Pecans taste great encrusted in a syrupy shell and dusted with sea salt. They’re chewy, almost gooey when you roast them. Honey pecans pair marvelously with balsamic vinaigrettes and whatever leafy stuff you decide to eat them with. But I implore you: try a pecan without all the sugar. Try a raw pecan. No heat, no salt, just a raw nut in your mouth. Chew it, and savor the natural subtle sweetness. Pretty good, eh?
In an ounce:
195.9 calories
3.9 g carbs: 2.7 g fiber
20.4 g fat: 11.6 g MUFA, 5.8 g LA, 0.3 g ALA, 1.8 g SFA
2.6 g protein
16% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
38% copper
55% manganese
12% zinc
Benefits:
Pecans acutely increase antioxidant capacity and lower LDL oxidation.
A pecan rich diet improves the lipid profile in healthy men and women.
Compared to the oil and isolated polyphenols, whole pecans are the best at reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Concerns:
Allergy.
Can you soak? Yes, for 6 hours.
Pine Nuts
Pine nuts come from pine trees, obviously, although most species of pine produce nuts too small to merit harvesting. But when you do get your hands on legitimate pine nuts, you’ve got the perfect ingredient for great pesto sauce; as much as the alternative nuts like walnuts or pistachios make a decent pesto, I still prefer pine nut pesto to anything else. As a snack, pine nuts are uncommon. But that shouldn’t preclude you from giving them a try.
In an ounce:
178.3 calories
5.5 g carbs: 3 g fiber
17.3 g fat: 6.5 g MUFA, 7.1 g LA, 0.2 g ALA, 2.7 g SFA
3.3 g protein
29% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
33% copper
16% magnesium
53% manganese
11% zinc
Benefits:
Pine nut oil has an appetite-suppressant effect in overweight women, increasing postprandial satiety.
Pine nuts may increase LDL receptor activity.
Concerns:
Pine mouth is a condition where everything you eat tastes bitter, metallic, and disgusting. In susceptible people, it occurs after consumption of pine nuts and lasts about two weeks. Not everyone develops it, and even people who’ve enjoyed pine nuts for years might experience it out of the blue.
Allergies.
Can you soak? Just a few hours.
Pistachios
I really like pistachios despite the common complaints. They’re funny-looking, the wizened old men of the nut world. Green, too, which maybe makes them the Yoda of the nut world. And it can be really frustrating when you get an entire bag full of shelled pistachios with a nanometer of space between the two halves. But darn it if pistachios aren’t worth the trouble.
In an ounce:
159.3 calories
7.8 g carbs: 2.9 g fiber
12.9 g fat: 6.8 g MUFA, 3.8 g LA, 0.1 g ALA, 1.6 g SFA
5.7 g protein
21% vitamin B1 (thiamine)
28% vitamin B6
17% vitamin K
41% copper
14% iron
15% manganese
Benefits:
Pretty low in phytic acid.
A source of potent prebiotic fiber with beneficial effects on gut flora, even more than almonds.
Pistachios improve metabolic syndrome markers.
Pistachios reduce postprandial glucose.
Pistachios attenuate the glucose response to carb-rich meals.
Concerns:
Allergy.
Those impossible-to-open shells are really just the worst.
Can you soak? Up to 8 hours.
Walnuts
Many people in the ancestral health community avoid walnuts. “Too high in PUFAs,” they say. “Unstable bags of linoleic acid,” they say. And I used to be like that. But while I’m not eating an inordinately large amount of them on a regular basis, and I am aware of the PUFA content, I enjoy a good handful of walnuts semi-regularly. The literature in favor of the walnut is too broad to deny. Also, they’re really good, especially freshly cracked walnuts.
In an ounce:
185.4 calories
3.9 g carbs: 1.9 g fiber
18.5 g fat: 2.5 g MUFA, 10.8 g LA, 2.6 g ALA, 1.7 g SFA
4.3 g protein
50% copper
10% iron
11% magnesium
42% manganese
Benefits:
Walnut-enriched diets lower non-HDL cholesterol and ApoB.
Walnuts improve endothelial function in adults with belly fat. And in type 2 diabetics.
Walnuts improve lipid profile, lower oxidative stress, increase cholesterol efflux, and improve cardiovascular disease risk.
Concerns:
The PUFA content is high, but should be okay in the context of a Primal eating plan low in seed oils and other sources of processed, refined PUFAs and replete in omega-3s.
In my experience, walnuts are quick to go rancid. Buy small amounts, preferably in the shell. If unshelled, store in the freezer. Actually, I like keeping a small stock of all my nuts in the freezer. Improves the texture, in my opinion.
Allergy.
Moderately high in phytate.
Can you soak? Yes, for 4 hours.
There is a downside to nuts, of course: the overconsumption problem. Nuts are easy to overconsume. They taste good. They’re Primal. They’re fatty, crispy, and slightly sweet. They’re nutrient-dense, so you don’t feel “guilty” eating them. But, throw in some salt and a bit of roasting and you end up with a snack fit for binges. What can we do?
Buy them in the shell.
Only the ability to consume handful after handful of calorie-dense nuts and seeds without breaking the bank or spending an hour cracking them and removing little bits of shell is a recent development. Buying nuts and seeds in the shell makes it work to eat them. Keeps them fresher, too.
Avoid nut butters.
Nut butters make massive overconsumption even easier and more unavoidable. It crushes and condenses what’s already a dense source of nutrients and energy into a delicious paste. And c’mon: those tablespoons are never just a tablespoon. Avoid nut butters if you can’t control yourself around them.
Overall, nuts are just good for you. Pick a nut, any nut: it probably doesn’t matter much. Nuts are consistently associated with lower risks of heart disease and all-cause mortality. They’re probably responsible for the good press PUFAs get in the literature. They’re all fairly rich with antioxidant compounds. They all seem to improve lipid profiles and reduce inflammatory biomarkers. Including nuts in a diet generally improves the nutrient content of that diet. As long as you don’t go crazy and get a large percentage of your calories from nuts, you’ll probably benefit from their inclusion in your diet. They are snacks and supplemental foods, not the main course.
So, folks, what’s your favorite nut? What role do nuts play in your diet? Or, if you hate all nuts and think I’m completely nuts for writing this post, tell me why. Either way, let’s hear what you have to say on the subject down below.
Thanks for reading!