Nuts (or oily fruits), not to be confused with dried fruits (or dehydrated fruits such as apricots, prunes, etc.), are rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fats ("good" fats), minerals, vitamins (especially B1, B2, niacin) and antioxidants (vitamin E, copper, manganese, selenium). Its composition makes it an excellent pre-workout snack and a good source of mineral and vitamin supplementation post-exercise.
Nuts are a high-energy food and therefore represent a concentrated and easily transportable source of energy that can be drawn on when needed (depending on the level of physical activity performed). For example: if you exercise before dinner and need energy without overloading your digestion, eating dried fruit as a pre-workout snack can compensate while you wait for your main meal.
Among the best-known varieties of local nuts are walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, and pine nuts. Additionally, imported products such as cashews, pecans, macadamias, Brazil nuts, and peanuts are also becoming increasingly popular. It should be noted that, from a botanical point of view, the peanut (Arachis Hypogaea) is a legume, but because its nutritional profile is very similar to that of nuts, it is included in the same food group.
In all its varieties, nuts are considered an excellent source of nutrients and energy, such as protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre and, above all, fats. The overall percentage by weight ranges from 44% in cashews to 76% in macadamias. However, it is a source of healthy fatty acids, with a low saturated fat content (ranging from 4% to 16%) and a high unsaturated fat content, both monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA), depending on the variety. Nuts also contain considerable amounts of polyphenols and vitamins with high antioxidant power, with the highest amount of vitamin B found in peanuts and vitamin E in almonds and hazelnuts. They are a good source of vegetable protein, particularly the amino acid L-arginine, which is a substrate involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide, the main endogenous vasodilator and blood pressure regulator.
Due to their high fat content, there is often concern that eating nuts may contribute to weight gain. In fact, it should be noted that it is a food rich in fatty acids that are healthy for the body and that, thanks to all the micro and macronutrients it provides and its low sodium content, it has been associated with cardioprotective effects, such as improving lipid profiles, reducing high blood pressure and mediating inflammation and oxidative stress.
Given their beneficial properties for cardiovascular health, supported not only by this research but by numerous others, nuts are recognised by several international organisations as a useful element in reducing cardiovascular risk, both in primary and secondary prevention. For these reasons, it is recommended to consume 30 grams of dried fruit per day, an amount sufficient to provide, along with a good dose of beneficial nutrients, a feeling of satiety, reducing the desire for unhealthy snacks.
(Article by biologist and nutritionist Giusto Cristina)
