It’s a common misconception that nuts lead to weight gain as it contains a high amount of calories and fat. However, there are plenty of nutrients contained in healthy nuts which are considered healthy for the body. For those of you who are asking yourself, ‘are nuts good for weight loss?’ - Below we explain how it helps and the recommended healthy nuts for weight loss.

How can eating healthy nuts help you with weight loss?

Healthy nuts are actually calorie-dense, but they are packed with nutrients. By calorie-dense, that means they are high in calories, especially fat. To be more precise, nuts contain mostly unsaturated fat, which is good for the body as it helps to protect against various diseases.

Furthermore, healthy nuts are great to help you feel full longer, thus, allowing room for lesser calories through other meals.

What nutrients do healthy nuts contain that help with weight loss?

Healthy nuts are loaded with fibre, which offers various benefits such as helping to control the overall calorie intake and reducing the sugar absorption in the blood. Fibre is also great to improve your overall gut health, making our digestion easier and smoother.

Besides that, healthy nuts for weight loss also contain antioxidants, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin E and copper - all of which are essential to improve the overall health of the human body.

7 best nuts for weight loss

1. Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts contain minerals, vitamins, healthy fats and protein. With all of these combined, you will experience lower hunger pangs and cravings. Hence, better control of your weight alongside improving the health of the bones and brain while boosting the immune system.

2. Walnuts

Walnuts are one of the best nuts for weight loss due to the fact that they contain polyunsaturated fats and protein. Polyunsaturated fats are good for the body because they contain omega 6 fatty acids and omega 3. On top of that, they contain Alpha-Linoleic acid which is great to burn fat faster and improve the health of our heart.

3. Pistachios

Among all the nuts available on the market, pistachios are low in calories and fats but still contain ample amounts of nutrients such as fibre, vitamin B6 & B1 and phosphorus. It has high fibre content which is great for weight loss as it makes you full longer and reduces cravings in between meals.

Pistachios are also widely known to contain antioxidants such as lutein, and carotenoids, to name a few. These antioxidants are great to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and reduce inflammation.

4. Almonds

Almonds are considered healthy nuts for weight loss as they are known to reduce hunger as well as cravings as it has a sufficient amount of fibre to aid in weight loss. This also helps to reduce fat and LDL cholesterol levels. Besides that, it contains a high amount of L-arginine, which is an amino acid known to burn fat.

5. Cashews

Cashews contain a high amount of unsaturated fats known to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Not only that, but they are also high in protein and fibre alongside low in sugar. Thus, aiding in weight loss. Cashews are also known to have the same amount of protein as meat, which is essential to losing weight.

They also contain high amounts of magnesium. The combination of both protein and magnesium helps to boost metabolism and reduce hunger pangs.

6. Peanuts

Generally, peanuts are low in calories when compared with other nuts. Peanuts contain a high amount of plant protein which helps to make you feel full faster. However, since it has a high amount of protein, be sure not to overeat them as it could lead to extra calories.

7. Pine Nuts

When you consume pine nuts, it’ll help with weight loss as it releases appetite-suppressing hormones. Thus, preventing you from overeating more than what your body needs. They also contain zinc and phosphorus which boosts metabolism.

Best time to eat these best nuts for weight loss

In the morning, it’s recommended to consume almonds as it’s known to be beneficial for your health.

In the afternoon, you could eat any of the nuts as most of them help to boost your attention span by giving energy to your body. Most of them help to control your hunger in between your next meal too.

In the evening, cashew, pistachios and pine nuts would be great options as they can help boost your immune system and stamina after a long, tiring day.

At night, it’s best to consume walnuts as it is known to be great for digestion. This ensures you will feel less bloated or constipated the following day.

How much is too much?

The general rule of thumb is to consume around 20 to 25 nuts a day. However, be sure to spread them out and not consume them in one go. Instead, divide them accordingly throughout the day.

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