December 5, 2002

Prairie Fare: Go Nutty for Nuts

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

I must admit I’ve never particularly liked walnuts. In fact, when I was young, I’d try to discreetly pick them out of cookies, cakes, salads and wherever else my walnut-loving relatives added them. Sometimes I ended up with a pile of crumbs and a raised-eyebrow look from my mother.

I didn’t know all the nutrition I was missing by avoiding those walnuts. Research studies have shown health benefits associated with eating nuts. Nuts, however, are not particularly low in calories at about 150 calories per ounce, but it doesn’t take a large quantity to have health benefits. Nuts contain protein, fiber, the antioxidant vitamin E and the mineral magnesium.

A one-ounce portion of almonds, for example, provides about 66 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin E for men and 83 percent of the daily recommendation for women. While it is true that nuts are fairly high in fat and calories, the type of fat nuts contain is the heart-healthy unsaturated type.

Americans like nuts. Each American, on average, eats about 8.5 pounds of nuts yearly, but that’s small in comparison to our 190-pound average annual consumption of meat, poultry and fish.

Nuts are divided into two main groups: tree nuts such as almonds, pecans and walnuts; and peanuts, which are actually a type of legume. The most popular tree nuts are almonds, coconuts, pecans and walnuts.

Nuts also are a common food allergen. In the case of peanut allergy, severe breathing problems and possibly death can occur, so nuts must be avoided. People with food allergies need to read food labels and question ingredients in any recipe.

For those who are not allergic, eating more nuts may help lower the risk of dying from sudden heart attacks. Walnuts, in fact, contain a type of fat that helps prevent abnormal heart rhythms.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health surveyed over 21,000 male physicians. They found that men who ate two or more one-ounce servings of nuts weekly were 47 percent less likely to die within an hour of symptoms of a heart attack. Of course, other factors like age and exercise influence heart attack survival too.

The heart-protective effect also appears to hold true for women. In a 14-year study of over 86,000 female nurses, researchers found that women who ate about 5 ounces of nuts weekly had a lower risk of heart disease than those who rarely ate nuts.

To boost your nut consumption, consider adding them to home-made trail mix, granola or other snacks. Sprinkle baked squash, sweet potatoes or apples with chopped nuts. Add some to fruit or vegetable salads. Add some crunch to breakfast cereal or pancake batter.

Because of the fat content, nuts can become rancid over time. To help prevent rancidity, store nuts in airtight containers in a cool, dark location. Chop up nuts as you need them, because whole nuts stay fresher longer. Nuts also may be frozen or refrigerated to extend shelf life.

Here’s a tasty recipe that kids of all ages will enjoy.

Sugar and Spice Snacks

1 6-oz. pkg. Bugle corn snacks
2 c. mixed nuts
2 Tbsp. orange juice or water
2 egg whites
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Heat oven to 275 degrees. Grease jelly roll pan. Mix Bugles and nuts in large bowl. Beat orange juice or water and egg whites in small bowl with wire whisk or hand beater until foamy. Mix in remaining ingredients. Stir into Bugles and nut mixture until well coated. Spread in pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until light brown and crisp. Cool and store in air-tight container.

Makes about 20 servings. Each half-cup serving contains about 190 calories, 10.5 grams fat, 22 grams carbohydrate and 3 grams fiber.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu