That’s a healthy serving of nuts? A handful? An entire bag? We asked nutritionist Camella Bot.
You think you’re doing a healthy thing at night: you choose a bag of nuts instead of M&Ms. But when you look on the back of the package, you see that there are about the same amount of calories in both bags. How exactly is that? Are nuts still healthy, and what is a healthy serving?
Healthy portion of nuts
Do nuts fit into a healthy diet? “A handful is definitely part of a healthy diet,” Bot informs. “They are packed with fiber and good, unsaturated fats. However, the latter also ensure that a handful of nuts contains a lot of kcal. Now, of course, the definition of a hand is very relative, but a small handful easily contains about 250 kcal. By comparison, a Mars contains this as well.”
So portion size is hugely important when eating, says the nutritionist. And above all, don’t let it stop you from eating nuts, because they are indeed healthy. “It’s really advisable to eat some nuts daily, because those unsaturated fats and fiber are incredibly important to get in on a daily basis. But be careful not to overdo it.”
How many grams per day are we talking about? That depends on your diet, Bot said. “How much is wise to eat depends on what else you eat during the day. So this varies per person. It should fit within your diet.”
Which nuts are best?
A word about the type of nuts. According to the nutritionist, there is a lot of difference. “Every nut contains just a different composition. In terms of the type of nut, I would therefore advise you to vary. By varying, you get a bit of everything. I do recommend going for the unroasted, unsalted variety. This type is the least processed.”