Are Nuts And Seeds Healthy?

Are Nuts And Seeds Healthy?
....brief review by Paleo Diet Lifestyle

Conclusion

We learned that even if they are often loaded with vitamins and minerals, most nuts and seeds should be kept to a minimum on a healthy diet for a few main reasons:

• Most nuts contain lectins that can irritate the gut lining;
• Most nuts also contain phytic acid that bind to minerals and blocks their absorption;
• Most nuts are very high in total polyunsaturated fat and in omega-6 fat, two things that should be keept to a minimum;

Nuts like walnuts and pine nuts are some of the worst ones in terms of fatty acid profile.  A few deserve a special mention though:

• Macadamia nuts, high in monounsaturated fat, healthy even in high amounts;
• Chestnuts, starchy and very low in polyunsaturated fat, beneficial as a source of healthy carbohydrates;
• Brazil nuts, high in omega-6 and total PUFA, but also extremely high in selenium and probably useful in small amount to get adequate amounts selenium;

We also learned that we can make the nutrients in nuts and seeds more bioavailable and mitigate the antinutrient properties in them by soaking them in salty water overnight.