It has long been proven that nuts are healthy. But which types of nuts are particularly good? Here you can find out which nutrients are in walnuts, cashew nuts, pistachios & Co and what makes them special.
Why nuts are healthy
Depending on the variety, nuts consist mainly of fat and protein and often only to a small extent of carbohydrates and water. This makes nuts a very healthy, high-energy snack. They provide you with many monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that have a positive effect on your cardiovascular system. At the same time, they are essential for a healthy nervous system and a stable hormone balance.
Nuts also contain fiber, which has a positive effect on digestion and makes you feel full faster and for longer. The little power packs are also impressive when it comes to vitamins and minerals: Most nuts contain many B vitamins, vitamin E as well as magnesium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus.
Even if nuts have a relatively high calorie density, you should include them in moderation in your diet every day if possible. Because they provide you with important fatty acids, protein and various micronutrients.
Walnuts: a healthy source of omega-3 from the region
Walnuts are considered one of the healthiest types of nuts, as no other nut can have such a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. They also provide you with a considerable amount of potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E.
Another advantage of walnuts is that they are also grown in large quantities in Germany. Here they are in season between September and December. However, since the market for nuts is largely based on imports, most walnuts also come from other countries. The main export country is the USA.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 42-62 g fat, 11-16 g protein, 15-23 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: USA, Chile, France, India, Moldova
Peanuts: Legumes from the USA
Even if it is one of the best-known types of nuts, the peanut is actually not a nut at all, but is one of the legumes. However, since its nutritional values are very similar to other types of nuts, it is usually counted among the nuts.
Peanuts are considered healthy: they are among the plant foods richest in magnesium. They also contain significant amounts of iron and zinc.
Peanuts are not grown in Germany and therefore have to travel long distances to be transported. They mainly come from the USA, South America and some African countries.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 50 g fat, 23-25 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Senegal, USA
Brazil nuts: healthy selenium suppliers
With a fat content of 60 to 70 percent, Brazil nuts are among the nuts with the highest fat content. Nevertheless, the nuts are healthy: They provide you with unsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the Brazil nut is particularly well-known for containing large amounts of the trace element selenium. A medium-sized nut covers your entire daily requirement.
In addition, Brazil nuts provide you with a large amount of magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin E. But even if they are healthy, you should not eat too many Brazil nuts. Compared to other foods, they have a relatively high radium content. According to the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, however, a daily intake of two Brazil nuts is harmless.
From an ecological point of view, Brazil nuts are unfortunately not recommended because they are only imported from tropical areas and therefore have to cover long transport routes.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 66 g fat, 14 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: tropical areas in South and Central America
Cashew nuts: healthy nuts with a problematic background
Cashew kernels are not actually nuts either, but are the kernels of the cashew apples. They are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and contain less fat and more carbohydrates than other nuts.
In addition, cashews score with a high content of B vitamins, vitamin K, as well as magnesium, copper, iron, phosphorus and potassium. They also provide you with a substantial amount of tryptophan. This is an amino acid that the body needs to produce the “happiness hormone” serotonin.
Cashew nuts are also exclusively imported and do not grow in Germany. They are mainly grown in Asian and African countries. Due to the long transport routes, they have a very poor ecological balance. In addition, the workers in the cultivation areas often suffer from inhumane working conditions. It is therefore advisable to only eat cashew nuts in moderation and to pay attention to Fairtrade certification when buying them.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 42 g fat, 18 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: India, Nigeria, Vietnam, Ivory Coast
Macadamia: the healthy queen of nuts
Macadamia nuts are among the most expensive nuts in the world. The queen of nuts is also very healthy from a nutritional point of view: It is one of the nuts richest in fiber, contains B vitamins, vitamin E and considerable amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and potassium.
Macadamia nuts are mostly grown in Oceania, African and South and Central American countries. Therefore, these nuts are also problematic from an ecological point of view. You should also use fair trade goods here.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 69 g fat, 6 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, Guatemala, California, etc.
Coconuts: Popular fruits from the tropics
The flesh of the coconut is high in fiber, B vitamins, and the minerals potassium, calcium, sodium, copper, iron, and phosphorus. In contrast to other types of nuts, their fat content consists primarily of saturated fatty acids. If you eat too many of them, it can have negative consequences.
Even if many coconut products are very popular, the cultivation and the long transport route of the coconut is not sustainable. Due to increasing demand, the nuts are increasingly being grown in monocultures. Cultivation is also water-intensive and pesticides are often used to control pests.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 34 g fat, 4 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: tropical regions in Asia, Africa and South America
Pecan nuts: The newcomers from the USA
With 70 to 75 percent fat and 700 kilocalories per 100 grams, pecans are among the nut types with the most fat and calories. Nevertheless, the nuts are healthy: They provide you with lots of fiber, B vitamins and minerals such as zinc, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium.
Pecans are mostly grown in North America, as well as Australia, Brazil, Chile and South Africa. They therefore cover long transport routes before they finally arrive in Germany.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 72 g fat, 9 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Chile, South Africa
Pistachios: Healthy nuts, but not very sustainable
Pistachios can keep up with their relatives and provide you with many important micronutrients such as potassium, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, phosphorus and magnesium.
However, if stored incorrectly, the healthy nuts can have a negative impact on your health. Because they are particularly susceptible to mold, which converts into the toxin aflatoxin. This happens when the nuts are not dry enough and are stored while still moist.
Today, pistachios are mainly grown in Iran, Turkey, the USA and China, i.e. they are also only imported from distant countries and therefore have a poor ecological balance.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 54 g fat, 18 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: Iran, Turkey, USA, China
Almonds: Healthy nuts with high water consumption
Almonds have become a real trend food in recent years and are processed into a wide variety of products such as almond butter, almond milk or almond flour. They are rightly considered healthy and nutritious, as they contain significant amounts of magnesium, calcium, copper, B vitamins and vitamin E.
Over 80 percent of the almonds grown worldwide are grown in the United States, particularly in California. This also means that the almond has a problematic ecological balance. Another big problem is the enormous water consumption when growing the popular nuts. One kilogram of almonds requires 10,000 liters of water, which leads to falling groundwater levels and periods of drought in the growing areas. Therefore, you should use the healthy nuts sparingly. When buying, you should also use almonds that were grown in Europe.
Nutritional values per 100 g: 55 g fat, 29 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates
Main growing areas: USA, Spain, Morocco, Iran, Turkey, Italy, Australia
