Tale of Two Raws

Here at RRF we use a goodly amount of nuts. They add protein, bulk, taste, nutrition, texture and visual appeal. We always soak them in purified water to release the enzyme inhibitors, then either blend them into a cream, freeze to use later or dehydrate them.But nuts have gotten a bad rap through out the years. Most people think they are not good for you - they make you fat, raise your cholesterol, coat your arteries, you know, that kind of propaganda. Well, I’m here to tell you why they are good for you. Actually, I am going to quote a source who can tell you much more eloquently than I can the benefits of eating nuts.

“More and more research shows the positive impact of tree nut consumption on satiety and weight management, as well as a number of chronic diseases including heart disease
and diabetes,” states Lindsay Allen, PhD, Director of the USDA ARS Western
Human Nutrition Research Center. Dr. Allen was commenting on proceedings
from the Nuts and Health Symposium in the September 2008 issue of the
Journal of Nutrition.

Epidemiologic studies show that consuming tree nuts (almonds, Brazils,
cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamias and walnuts)
five or more times per week is associated with a reduced risk of developing
both diabetes and heart disease. In one analysis, individuals who ate the
most nuts had about a 35 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
While the FDA qualified health claim for nuts and heart disease recommends
1.5 ounces of nuts per day, few people actually consume this amount on a
daily basis. In the 2001-2004 What We Eat in America/NHANES survey, 34
percent of those surveyed consumed nuts but most only ate about 3/4 of an
ounce — roughly half of the recommended amount. And, approximately 60
percent of the nuts were consumed as snacks.

Moreover, regular nut consumers do not weigh more than those who do not
consume nuts despite eating roughly 250 additional calories per day.
“Research shows that nuts can actually help maintain body weight,” states
Maureen Ternus, M.S., R.D., Executive Director of INC NREF. “Tree nuts
contain beneficial unsaturated fats (mono- and polyunsaturated fats),
protein and fiber, all of which provide a feeling of fullness.” In
addition, studies have shown that the fat in nuts may not be fully absorbed
and there may be an increase in resting energy expenditure (the calories
burned when you’re resting) with regular nut consumption.”

So there, to all of you who fear to eat nuts! If you want to read more about the benefits of
eating nuts go to this web site Nut Health.