Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, cashews and pistachios are commonly called nuts . We usually eat them as appetizers in festive occasions or as snacks, but they can be also incorporated in meals, either in salads, main courses and side dishes or desserts, thus extending the opportunities to benefit from their great nutritional richness. Starting from the beginning: nuts are oleaginous fat fruits, precisely because they are rich in unsaturated fats. They are additionally rich in fibre, antioxidants, vitamins (E, B and K) and minerals (magnesium, potassium and iron) – therefore, when integrated in a varied balanced diet they offer multiple benefits for health, namely reduction of cardiac diseases, reinforcement of the immunity system, and weight control. However, take notice that the consumption of nuts should be moderate – up to about 30 g a day – for they are high in calories. Comparatively, the total of calories for 28 g of nuts is as follows: 157 (cashews), 160 (pistachios), 162 (peanuts), 170 (almonds), 178 (hazelnuts), and 185 (walnuts). For instance, the daily doses should not exceed 20 almonds / hazelnuts / peanuts or 5 walnuts. Nuts are characteristic of the Mediterranean food pattern, where the climate offers the best cultivation conditions. A few curiosities: Portugal is the fifth largest producer of nuts in Europe (about 6% of the overall European production). The most produced nuts in national territory are hazelnuts, almons and walnuts, predominantly in Alentejo, Algarve, Beira Interior and Trás-os-Montes. Almonds and walnuts represent about half the world consumption of nuts. The oleaginous fruits we are talking about are the seeds of fruits growing in trees. As for peanuts they are pulses (leguminous) such as beans and peas, growing in plants developing out of grains seeded under the ground. But considering their nutritional composition, which is similar, they are usually classified and consumed as nuts. Sources: National Plan for a Healthy Diet (PNPAS), “ Take notice of fat fruits ”. PortugalNuts, “ Summary of the sector in Portugal ” Healthline, “ The Top 9 Nuts to Eat for Better Health ” Learn how to take advantage of these food treasures with a few recipes by our nutritionists Alexandra Lima , Maria Inês Cardoso , Margarida Veloso , Sara Moço and Simone Fernandes .
