6 Healthiest Ways to Eat Nuts

Nuts are nutrient-dense foods rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fat, and plant bioactives that support cardiovascular and metabolic health. When included in a healthy diet, higher nut consumption is consistently linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality.

1. Eat a Handful Daily

Aim for a one-ounce serving of nuts daily: A comprehensive review on the consumption of nuts indicates that consuming a handful of nuts (about 1 ounce or 28 grams) per day is linked with a 20% reduction of heart disease and mortality, and a 10% reduction of cancer deaths versus not eating nuts.

Consume nuts in moderate amounts: Since nuts are a high-calorie food, with 160 to 120 calories in a one-ounce serving, limit your daily intake to recommended serving sizes to avoid unintended weight gain.

2. Use Nuts to Replace Unhealthy Snacks

Eat nuts instead of typical snacks: Replacing less nutritious between-meal snacks, such as chips and candy, with nuts can increase your intake of fiber and beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats while reducing dietary levels of sodium and excess calories.

Snack on nuts to reduce cravings: A randomized study showed that participants who replaced typical between-meal snacks with tree nuts experienced decreased cravings for high-sugar and fast foods and experienced an overall improvement in diet quality, compared to those who continued to eat typical unhealthy snacks.

3. Choose Less Processed Nuts for Health Benefits

Choose either raw or dry-roasted nuts for cardioprotective effects: A randomized crossover study found that consuming 30 grams per day of either raw or dry-roasted (no added oils), lightly salted hazelnuts for 28 days improved key cardiovascular risk factors, such as HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, compared with baseline. The results suggest that dry roasting and lightly salting do not negate the cardioprotective benefits of raw nut consumption.

Avoid highly processed nuts: Many varieties of processed and flavored nuts, such as glazed, salted, and coated nuts, contain excess sodium, unhealthy fats, added sugar, and artificial ingredients, which can increase calories and your risk for chronic conditions like heart disease.

Increase nut consumption for weight loss: Consuming an assortment of nuts can help prevent long-term weight gain and reduce the risk of obesity when incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern.

4. Include Nuts as Part of an Overall Healthy Diet

Add nuts to everyday dishes to boost flavor and nutrition: Sprinkle them on oatmeal, salads, yogurt, and grain bowls to incorporate them into your daily diet in different ways.

Use nuts to support healthy eating patterns: Research supports nut consumption as part of a balanced, plant-rich dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet, which is associated with increased life expectancy and a reduced risk of chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

5. Consume a Variety of Nuts

Consume a mixture of nuts for health benefits: In a 16-week randomized controlled trial, overweight or obese adults who consumed a mixture of nuts (including cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, peanuts, and pistachios) had lower body fat percentage and reduced diastolic blood pressure compared to a control group that consumed pretzels.

Mix up your daily nut intake for variety: Since different nuts provide different nutritional profiles, eating a variety of nuts gives you a wider range of essential minerals and vitamins. To boost your benefits from eating nuts, choose nuts with the highest concentrations of specific nutrients:

• B vitamins: Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, and walnuts
• Folic acid: Chestnuts and pistachios
• Vitamin E: Almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, and walnuts
• Zinc: Pine nuts, almonds, and cashews
• Fiber: Almonds and pistachios
• Protein: Almonds, peanuts, and pistachios
• Omega-3 ALA: Walnuts

6. Beware of Potential Nut Allergies

Prevent your exposure to nuts and their products if you have known allergies: About 0.5% to 1% of the U.S. population has tree nut allergies, involving one or more nut varieties. Take strict precautions to prevent possible consumption and exposure to nuts and foods cross-contaminated with nuts if you have known nut allergies, since reactions to nut allergies can involve life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Consider alternatives to nuts if allergies are a concern: People with nut allergies can usually tolerate chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds, which provide many of the same benefits as nuts and are often grouped in dietary guidelines. If you have a nut allergy, consult your healthcare provider to determine whether you can safely consume seeds.