Peanuts vs. Almonds vs. Walnuts vs. Cashews!

I LOVE nuts!  They’re all good for you, but is one nutritionally better than another?  Let’s find out!

All nuts are cholesterol-free and contain only a trace of sodium, if eaten unsalted.  All four of these nuts are rich sources of the B vitamins and many minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc.  Each nut differs in their nutrition package!

Almonds

1 oz. = 20-24 whole almonds

1 oz = 160 calories, 6g protein, 14g fat (1g sat fat, 9g mono, 3g poly)

Almonds are high in Vitamin E.  Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant working both inside your body and on your skin.

Almonds contain the fewest amount of calories and almost the same amount of protein as peanuts.  Almonds are also highest in monounsaturated fats.  Monounsaturated fats decrease LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.

Walnuts

1 oz. = 14 shelled walnut halves

1 oz =  190 calories, 4g of protein, 17g of fat (1g sat fat, 4.2g of mono and 10g of poly)

Walnuts supply almost 90% of your daily supply of omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3 fatty acids lower the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and strokes.  They also decrease the risk of  breast, colon and prostate cancers.

Walnuts are especially rich in phytochemicals which contribute to its antioxidant capacity.  Walnuts are also an excellent source of Vitamin E.

Cashews

1 oz. = 16-18 nuts

1 oz = 160 calories, 4g protein and 12 grams of fat (2g sat fat, 7g mono, 2g poly)

Cashews contain the least amount of fat between the 4 nuts.  Cashews are a rich source of selenium which is an important mineral involved in antioxidant processes.  Cashews are also rich in copper, which is an important part of enzyme activity in the body.  Zinc, another mineral found abundantly in cashews, is a co-factor in enzyme activities and is also important for digestion, nucleic acid synthesis, and bone development.  Zeaxanthin, a flavonoid antioxidant, is abundant in cashews.  It is important for eye health and may play a role in the prevention of macular degeneration.

Peanuts

Even though we consider peanuts to be a nut, they are actually a legume, like kidney beans, peas and lentils.

1 oz. = 28 peanuts

1 oz = 170 calories, 7g protein and 15g fat (2g sat fat, 7g mono, 4g poly)

Peanuts contain the highest amount of protein between the 4 nuts.  One serving provides 10% of the daily need for folate, a B vitamin important in reducing the risk of birth defects.  It also is important in heart health.  One serving of peanuts provides 20% of the daily value for niacin, another B vitamin.  Niacin contributes to brain health and blood flow to the brain.  Peanuts are rich in polyphenolic antioxidants, especially p-coumaric acid.  This polyphenol may reduce the risk of stomach cancer.  Another polyphenol found in peanuts is resveratrol.  Resveratrol has been found to protect against cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer’s disease and viral/fungal infections.  Peanuts are also a good source of Vitamin E.

To reap the many and varied benefits from nuts, variety is key.  While nuts are good and good for you, a little goes a long way.  Be mindful of the amount of nuts you consume and try to keep them to one ounce.  Also, choose unsalted nuts.

I keep all these nuts in containers in the freezer.  I buy raw nuts and have a handful (1 ounce) almost every day.  Eating one serving of nuts/day may help in weight loss as they are satisfying and filling.  But be sure and count their calories in your total count for the day!

Have fun munching!

Sources:

Alice Henneman, MS, RD, “Nuts for Nutrition”

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/nuts_nutrition.html