Nuts are rich in fats and that is the main reason why they are not really appreciated. Nowadays, many people are on a low calorie diet or are really concerned by their weight. Eating nuts in reasonable amounts will not increase your weight. (read futher).
60 % of the calories in nuts come from fats. Macadamias and pecan are the richest with more than 70 g of fats per 100 g. Cashews and pistachios are the least caloric.
Being rich in fats does not mean that nuts are bad for our health. On the contrary, their fats are mostly unsaturated and are benefical in the prevention of coronary heart disease and in lowering LDL cholesterol.
However, Brazil nuts, macadamias, cashews and pine nuts also contain large amounts of saturated fats.
Brazil nuts, pine nuts and walnuts provide also polyunsaturated fatty acids with the two essential fatty acids: linoleic and alpha linolenic acids. Walnuts are especially rich in alpha linolenic acid with 9 mg per 100 g.
Fatty acids content of 100 g of nuts
| Nutrients |
Cholesterol
|
Saturated fatty acids
|
Monounsaturated fatty acids
|
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
|
Linoleic acid
|
Linolenic acid
|
Phytosterol
|
| mg | g | g | g | g | g | mg | |
| Almonds | 0 | 4 | 32 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 120 |
| Brazil nuts | 0 | 16 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 0 | NA |
| Cashews | 0 | 9 | 27 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 158 |
| Hazelnuts | 0 | 4 | 46 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 96 |
| Macadamias | 0 | 12 | 59 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 116 |
| Pecans | 0 | 6 | 41 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 102 |
| Pines nuts | 0 | 9 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 1 | NA |
| Pistachios | 0 | 5 | 23 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 214 |
| Walnuts | 0 | 6 | 9 | 47 | 38 | 9 | 72 |
Ref: USDA Nutrient Database
|
g = gram |
mg = milligram |
NA = non available
|