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 Nuts
and Seeds
Nuts are very healthy and nutritious. In addition to being
excellent sources of protein, nuts and seeds have many
other benefits such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other
chemicals that may prevent cancer and heart disease. Although
many people are hesitant to eat nuts because they are high
in fat, eating nuts can provide a sense of fullness or
satisfaction that actually causes you to eat less of other
high-calorie, high fat foods. Additionally, nuts are high
in essential amino acids and healthy fats, making them
an important part of any vegan or vegetarian's diet.
Quick Page Summary: Eating nuts
and seeds are a great way to add vitamins,
minerals, fiber, and essential fatty acids (like omega
3 and omega 6), to your diet. Some great
choices include almonds, cashews, flaxseeds (ground),
peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds,
and walnuts. If you have time, you may want to purchase
raw nuts and seeds and soak them in purified water
for up to 24 hours; this starts the germination process,
which makes them much more nutritious.
Healthy Choices
The world's healthiest nuts and
seeds include:
 Almonds – Almonds
are a good source of protein, vitamin
E, manganese, magnesium, copper,
vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and phosphorus.
Almonds are also concentrated in
protein; a quarter-cup contains more
protein than the typical egg. Although
one-quarter cup of almonds contains
about 18 grams of fat, most of it
(11 grams) is heart-healthy monounsaturated
fat. Eating almonds can lower bad
cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart
disease, provide protection against
cardiovascular disease and diabetes,
boost energy, and help prevent gallstones.
Whole almonds (with skins) provide
the most heart-healthy benefits.
 Cashews – Cashews
are high in antioxidants and have
a lower fat content than most other
nuts; additionally, 75 percent of
their fat is unsaturated fatty acids.
Cashews are also a good source
of monounsaturated fats, copper,
and a good source of magnesium and
phosphorous. Eating cashews promotes
good cardiovascular health, even
in individuals with diabetes.
 Flaxseeds – Flaxseeds,
also known as linseeds, are an excellent
source of omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseeds
may provide anti-inflammatory benefits,
protect your bones, and protect against
heart disease, breast cancer, and
diabetes. Eating flaxseeds also lowers
blood pressure in men with high cholesterol.
Flaxseeds are also rich in fiber
and manganese and are a good source
of folate, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine),
magnesium, phosphorous, and copper,
and lignan phytonutrients. You'll
need to grind them up first (or purchase
ground flaxseed) to gain the most
nutritional benefits.
 Peanuts – Peanuts
are a good source of heart-healthy
monosaturated fat, flavonoid (resveratrol),
antioxidants, phytosterols, phytic
acid (inositol hexaphosphate), and
folic acid, making them heart-healthy,
a good way to reduce your risk
of stroke, and possibly even cancer.
Peanuts are also a good source of
vitamin B3 (niacin), folate, copper,
manganese, and protein, and are a
significant source of resveratrol,
a chemical studied for potential
anti-aging effects.. Peanuts
and peanut butter may also help prevent
gallstones and protect against Alzheimer's
disease. It wise
to ensure that peanuts, especially
raw ones, are stored in a cool, dry,
environment (such as a refrigerator
or freezer), as an extremely toxic
and highly dangerous fungus (aflatoxin)
can easily grow on peanuts when the
temperature is between 86-96°F
(30-36°C) and humidity
is high.
 Pumpkin seeds /
pepitas – Eating
the green, hulled, pumpkin seeds
(also called pepitas) may promote
prostate health, protection for
men's bones, anti-inflammatory
benefits for those with arthritis,
and help lower cholesterol. Pumpkin
seeds are a good source of the
essential fatty acids, potassium,
phosphorous, magnesium, manganese,
zinc, iron, and copper, protein,
and vitamin K.
 Sesame
seeds –
Sesame seeds and tahini are rich
in beneficial minerals. Not only
are sesame seeds a very good source
of manganese and copper, but they
are also a good source of calcium,
magnesium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin
B1 (thiamin), zinc, dietary
fiber, and healthy (monosaturated)
fats. They
contain powerful antioxidants called
lignans, which are also anti-carcinogenic.
They also contain phytosterols,
which block cholesterol production.
Sesame contains one lignan unique
to it called sesamin. Eating
sesame seeds may help lower cholesterol,
provide relief for rheumatoid
arthritis, and support vascular
and respiratory health. The nutrients
of sesame seeds are better absorbed
if they are ground or pulverized
before consumption.
 Sunflower
seeds – Eating
sunflower seeds may help provide
anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular
benefits, lower cholesterol, and
prevent cancer. Sunflower seeds are
an excellent source of vitamin E.
Sunflower
seeds are also an excellent source
of linoleic
acid (an essential fatty acid), dietary
fiber, protein, and minerals
such as magnesium and selenium, and
are high in cholesterol-lowering
phytosterols.
 Walnuts –
Walnuts are an excellent source of
omega-3 essential fatty acids. Walnuts
are also a good source of manganese,
and copper. Walnuts are also an
important source of healthy (monounsaturated)
fats. Eating walnuts may benefit
your cardiovascular system, improve
cholesterol in individuals with type
2 diabetes, help brain functions,
protect bone health, and help prevent
gallstones. Walnuts also have bio-available
melatonin, which helps regulate sleep.
A new study published in the Journal
of the American
College of Cardiology (Oct.
17, 2006) found that eating
walnuts after a meal high in unhealthy
fats can reduce the damaging effects
of such fats on blood vessels. Walnuts
also contain l-arginine, which is
an essential amino acid that the
body uses to produce nitric oxide,
necessary for keeping blood vessels
flexible.
*According to the George Mateljan
Foundation. See the "World's
Healthiest Foods" web site
for more information.
 To Soak or Not to Soak...
Although eating nuts and seeds, even
when roasted, can be very healthy,
it may be beneficial to purchase your
nuts and seeds raw and then soak them
in clean water for a few hours before
eating them. Soaking raw nuts and seeds
stimulates the process of germination,
which increases the vitamin C, B, and
carotenes (pre-vitamin A) content.
It may also neutralize phytic acid,
a substance present in the bran of
all grains and seeds that can inhibit
some absorption of calcium, magnesium,
iron, copper, and zinc. Raw nuts and
seeds also contain enzyme inhibitors
that are neutralized by germination.
If you choose to soak your nuts and
seeds, please follow these general
guidelines:
- Getting ready: Use
raw, preferably organic, nuts and
seeds. Make enough for three days
only. Use a glass or stainless steel
bowl or jar (plastics may contain
toxins). Rinse your nuts or seeds
(purified
or distilled water is generally preferred).
- Soak them: Place
your nuts and seeds in in the bowl
or jar and then cover it with something
breathable, like a towel or pantyhose.
Let them soak according to the following
schedule (all times approximate).
- Almonds, germination time 8 – 12
hours at room temperature
- Cashews,
whole, germination time 2 – 2 1/2
hours at room temperature
- Sesame
seeds, germination time 8 hours
at room temperature
- Sunflower
seeds, germination time 2 hours
at room temperature
- Walnuts, germination
time 4 hours at room temperature
- All
other nuts, germination time
6-24 hours at room temperature
Over the course of the soaking,
drain and rinse the nuts or seeds
two (2) or three (3). Each time
you do this, make sure you rinse
them until the water drains clear.
This is especially important with
nuts and seeds that soak for longer
amounts of time.
- Afterwards: After
you've soaked them, you may want
to do a final rinse with grapefruit
seed extract or organic apple cider
vinegar, as these can will clean
them of bacteria without being absorbed.
You now have germinated nuts and
seeds! You're ready to eat them.
You can store the leftovers in the
refrigerator for up to three (3)
days.
 If the idea of soaking your nuts and
seeds seems too time-consuming an endeavor
for you, don't worry—many nutrients
cannot be heated out of foods, like
protein, vitamin E, and fiber, which
are found in ample quantities inside
nuts and seeds of all kinds, both cooked
and uncooked.
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