HEALTH BENEFITS OF NUTS AND OILSEEDS

ShrutiSanjeevDoshi ConsultantDietitianandNutritionist

Protein, beneficial fats, fibre, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals can all be found in nuts and seeds Because their fats are not completely absorbed, nuts and seeds assist control food intake, regulate body weight, and aid in calorie burning. It has been observed that eating tree nuts reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), a key factor in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, by 3–19%. (Claire E Berryman, 2011) In order to maintain a healthy diet for adults, the Australian Dietary Guidelines advise consuming 30 grams of nuts on most days of the week

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According to research, including nuts regularly in a balanced diet can help us maintain a healthy weight and protect us from chronic illnesses (such as heart disease and diabetes) Yet, there hasn't been much study done on seeds Because of the nutrients they contain, they are believed to provide comparable health advantages.

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Almonds have been found to have a consistent LDLC-lowering effect in healthy individuals, and individuals with high cholesterol and diabetes, in both controlled and free-living settings Almonds are high in fibre, phytosterols, and plant protein These are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat and are also rich in unique cardioprotective elements -tocopherol, arginine, magnesium, copper, manganese, calcium, and potassium These nutrients, which are biologically active by nature, target the main mechanisms by which LDL-C is reduced, such as decreased (re)absorption of bile acid and cholesterol, increased bile acid and cholesterol excretion, and increased LDL-C receptor function. (Claire E Berryman, 2011).

Walnuts

Walnuts are a rich source of α-linolenic acid (∼13% of total lipids) and γ-tocopherol (20 mg/100 g) and contain phytosterols (164 mg/100 g) which shows an impact on cholesterol levels. (Claire E. Berryman, 2013). The short chain fatty acid butyrate beneficially affects metabolic and inflammatory processes and, thus, obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel diseases According to studies, consuming 43 g of walnuts per day for eight weeks significantly changed the gut microbiota by boosting the bacteria that produce butyric acid and probiotics in healthy people (Charlotte Bamberger 1, 2017).

Dates

The date is an inexpensive source of nutrients including carbohydrates, amino acids, and dietary minerals (selenium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, dietary fibre, vitamins, carotenoids, and fatty acids). It also contains polyphenols, anthocyanins, tannins, procyanidins, flavanols, anthocyanidins, isoflavones, phytoestrogens phenolic acids, and cinnamic acid derivatives and have strong antioxidant potential The β-glucan from date fruits have strong anti-tumor, immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol lowering potential, and encourages the growth of beneficial gut microflora. (M. Iftikhar Hussain a b, 2020).

Common Indian Nuts and Oilseeds

By Farida Gohil Mandsaurwala

Registered Dietitian and Clinical Nutritionist

Nuts and oilseeds are currently the most in demand in India and all across the globe Knowing its benefits people are incorporating them into diets or using them to make protein powders. Nuts play a big part in some of the most popular Indian dishes whereas oilseeds are usually added to Mukhwas or used for oil extraction

Nuts and oilseeds are concentrated sources of calories and excellent sources of good quality proteins. Therefore, they are advisable for all age groups.

India has been native to many nuts and oilseeds. Oilseeds have been grown or used in India for many millennia Some of the common Indian nuts and oilseeds are –

Almonds - one of the few basic nuts Indian sweets from all around the country utilize almonds, for example, Gujarati Mohanthal is garnished with almond slivers and is also added to Coconut Sheera

Cashew Nuts - are eaten as a tasty snack and are common in Indian cuisine They play a major role in chicken korma and are used for garnishing all kinds of other delicious curries

Groundnuts- can be found in all kinds of delicious Indian dishes. In India, people prefer salted and roasted groundnuts as a snack. Its major use is in the extracted oil used in cooking. It is used in Maharashtra in many dishes such as Poha and Dabeli in Gujrat The famous Peanut chilly chutney of Rajkot is lip smacking and eaten with theplas for breakfast

Walnuts - Jammu & Kashmir occupies the largest share in total area and production of walnut.

Walnuts add crunch to salads and side dishes, boost the nutrient content of desserts and snack bars or enjoy eating a handful of walnuts every day can lower bad cholesterol levels.

Arecanut - also called supari in the Hindi language. One is the white variety and the other is red Areca nut and the plant as a whole is used widely in India and South Asia as a masticator for chewing purposes, vegetables, or in medicine The nut is chewed with the betel leaf as it has a stimulating effect known as paan.

Coconut - is age old, and the most commonly used in Indian tradition. Coconut chutney with south Indian foods like Idli, Dosa, and Meduvada is the most common Maharashtrians and Goans love dishes cooked with coconut or coconut milk Dry coconut is also very commonly used in India, especially in making ladoos or coconut desserts like coconut barfi, etc

Pistachios - Indian food makes ample use of pistachios, and they're a staple ingredient in many Indian rice puddings, cookies, and a spiced pistachio fudge called pista barfi

Chilgoza or Pine-nuts - are nuts grown in Kashmir Indian pine nuts/chilgoza, are long and thin with a deep, rich buttery flavor They are even delicious in a shell! Used mostly to garnish biryanis and sweets. Pine nuts are among the most expensive nuts in the world.

Garden cress seeds - known as chandrashoor, aaliv, or aleev in Marathi, or halloon or halim, are reddish maroon in colour It is also known as asario and is prized as a medicinal herb, called habbat al hamra in Arabic In Gujarat, it is mostly given to postpartum or lactating mothers in milk for energy, milk production, and for increasing haemoglobin post delivery as they are a rich source of Iron.

Walnuts