There are many aspects that play a factor in weight loss. In the past, it was felt that eating fat led to gaining fat. But that is no longer felt to be true. Previous studies showed it was possible to get many of your calories from the right kind of fat, and still lose weight. Folks eating nuts while on a weight loss diet could still lose as much weight as those not eating nuts on the diet. A recent study in February this year showed that eating nuts, a high fat food, actually leads to fat loss.
Nuts Do Not Contribute To Weight Gain
Previously, we discussed a study that showed people on a weight loss diet lost the same amount of weight whether they were eating nuts or not. In brief, the total amount of fat in their diet made no difference, and would not disrupt their weight loss plans. Similarly, an 8 year study with women not on a weight loss diet showed less weight gain in the women who ate more nuts.
Nuts Reduce Belly Fat
This most recent research (1) was done with 7000 people who were older and had a high cardiovascular risk. The researchers looked at those getting less than one serving per week of nuts versus those getting more than 3 servings per week. In short, the group with high nut consumption had less obesity, narrower waists, and less intra-abdominal fat. And from a health aspect, the high nut consumption group had fewer people with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Nuts Are A Part Of A Healthy Weight Loss Diet
So if you have been hesitant to include nuts in your weight loss diet, know that you will be able to eat nuts. Specifically, they actually help you to lose fat, shrink your belly, and decrease your chance of diabetes. They provide essential fatty acids. And they have very little saturated fat. They are an important part of a healthy weight loss diet.
Other studies have shown that the inclusion of nuts in your diet will contribute to many improvements in health risk. They can be a great source of potassium, adding a lot of potassium in a small volume. So they more easily allow you to reach the 4700 mg needed daily. Nuts should form one of the food groups you get daily.
Table Of Potassium In Nuts
For a table with the potassium and sodium content of nuts, click on the “Links to Food Potassium Tables” at the top of this page and then click on the nuts table link.
1. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e57367. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057367. Epub 2013 Feb 27.
Cross-Sectional Assessment of Nut Consumption and Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome and Other Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: The PREDIMED Study.
Ibarrola-Jurado N, Bulló M, Guasch-Ferré M, Ros E, Martínez-González MA, Corella D, Fiol M, Wärnberg J, Estruch R, Román P, Arós F, Vinyoles E, Serra-Majem L, Pintó X, Covas MI, Basora J, Salas-Salvadó J; PREDIMED Study Investigators.
