Can I Eat Nuts If I Am Trying To Lose Weight?

Nuts absolutely fit into a weight loss diet.  Here are some of the great things about them:

-They are low glycemic load and therefore are very easy on the blood sugar.

-They contain a healthy source of protein.

-They contain fiber.

-They contain vitamins.

-They contain minerals.

-They contain very healthy sources of fat.

High nut consumption has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes in Harvard prospective cohort studies (Reference 1 and 2).  Now nuts do contain a lot of calories, so you have to be a little careful with your portions.

However, an analysis in the Nurse Health Study showed that women who ate nuts more frequently actually had a reduced risk of obesity compared to women ate them less often (Reference 3).  Feel free to include nuts regularly in your diet, even if you are trying to lose weight.

References

1) Hu FB et al. Frequent nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in women: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal 1998; 317:1341-45.

2) Jiang R, et al. Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. Journal of the American Medical Association 2002; 288:2554-60.

3) Bes-Rastrollo M, et al. Prospective study of nut consumption, long term weight change and obesity risk in women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009; 89:1913-19.