Nuts and seeds are rich in unsaturated fat and other nutrients that may reduce inflammation. Frequent nut consumption is associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In most cases, it is healthier to consume nuts in the raw state as opposed to roasted.
   Nuts, including almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts, and peanuts, are rich in phytochemicals, which recently have been found to possess bio-mechanisms against CVD and cancers. Phytochemicals, defined as bioactive non-nutrient components in plant foods, are classified as alkaloids, carotenoids, organosulfurs, phenolics, and phytosterols, while more compounds still remain to be identified and characterized.

Nuts have many nutritional benefits: they are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin, minerals, and phytonutrients. Most nuts contain many minerals, including magnesium. Population studies indicate that individuals who regularly consume nuts have reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In clinical trials, nuts appear to have a neutral effect on glucose and insulin, and a beneficial effect on lipid profile. Thus, nuts can be a healthy dietary component for individuals with diabetes or those at risk for diabetes, providing overall caloric intake is regulated to maintain a healthy body weight.

Health benefit, influence on disease
Nuts are energy-dense foods, with a high content of fat and unsaturated fatty acids. The favorable fatty acid profile probably contributes to the beneficial effects of nut consumption in prevention of coronary heart disease and diabetes andcholesterol lowering. Besides fat, nuts have several beneficial substances including vegetable protein, fiber, minerals, tocopherols, and phenolic compounds. Nuts are likely to lower or have a beneficial effect on LDL cholesterol oxidation, soluble inflammatory molecules, and endothelial dysfunction. Nut consumption is associated with lower concentrations of circulating inflammatory molecules and higher plasma adiponectin, a potent antiinflammatory adipokine.

Weight gain eating too many nuts
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Almond
When people change from their habitual diet to an almond supplemented diet, their intakes of MUFA, PUFA, fiber, vegetable protein, alpha-tocopherol, Copper and magnesium increases  while their intake of trans fatty acids, animal protein, sodium, cholesterol and sugars decrease.
   It is preferable to consume almonds raw as opposed to roasted. Asparagine is the main free amino acid in raw almonds and is correlated with the acrylamide content of dark roasted almonds.

Areca Nut - Betel Nut
Areca-nut chewing occurs widely in South Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Arecoline, the principal neuroactive alkaloid in areca nuts, is found in a mother's placenta if she is a chronic areca nut user. Neonatal withdrawal syndrome can occur in an infant born to a woman who is a chronic areca-nut user.
     In addition to increasing the risk of developing oral cancer, betel nut chewing appears to be related with another health hazard: obesity.

Brazil Nut health benefit
Brazil nuts contain a high amount of selenium and magnesium. Allergy to Brazil nut is a relatively common nut allergy and can be fatal. A combination of history, skin prick test and serum-specific IgE is often adequate in achieving a diagnosis in the majority of patients with suspected Brazil nut allergy.

Brazil nuts: an effective way to improve selenium status.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Feb. Thomson CD, Chisholm A, McLachlan SK, Campbell JM. Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Brazil nuts provide a rich natural source of selenium, yet no studies have investigated the bioavailability of selenium in humans. We investigated the efficacy of Brazil nuts in increasing selenium status in comparison with selenomethionine. Participants consumed 2 Brazil nuts thought to provide approximately 100 mug Selenium, 100 mug Selenium as selenomethionine, or placebo daily for 12 wk. Actual intake from nuts averaged 53 mug Selenium /d (possible range: 20-84 mug Se). Plasma selenium and plasma and whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured at baseline and at 2, 4, 8, and 12 wk, and effects of treatments were compared. Plasma selenium increased by 64%, 61%, and 7%; plasma glutathione peroxidase by 8%, 3%, and -1%; and whole blood glutathione peroxidase by 13%, 5%, and 1.9% in the Brazil nut, selenomethionine, and placebo groups, respectively. Consumption of 2 Brazil nuts daily is as effective for increasing selenium status and enhancing GPx activity as 100 mug Se as selenomethionine. Inclusion of this high-selenium food in the diet could avoid the need for fortification or supplements to improve the selenium status of New Zealanders.

Q. Great newsletter. Down here in New Zealand some of us have some doubts about the brazil nut study you mentioned. See the comment below published in one of our general interest magazines. As a low selenium environment I am afraid we cannot rely on getting enough from food. I am a doctor here in Tauranga. Here is the article: "Further to my letter on the Selenium content of brazil nuts, I have been referred to research on the selenium content of nuts from different sources. One such article in the journal of Food Safety presents the results from 72 different brazil nuts in stores. Their average selenium content was 14.7 micrograms per gram with a range of 0.2- to 253. If two brazil nuts weighed 10 grams the amount of selenium supplied would vary from a totally inadequate 2 mcg to a possibly toxic 2530 mcg. All we knew about selenium until 1958 was that herbage on some soils relatively rich in the mineral took up so much that the animals suffered from selenium poisoning. This makes nonsense of the recent recommendation in a research publication from the department of human nutrition, University of Otago - "brazil nut: an effective way to improve selenium status." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition{ 2008, p 379} - which concludes "consumption of two brazil nuts daily is as effective for increasing selenium status as 100 micrograms Se as selenomethionine. Inclusion of this high selenium food in the diet could avoid the need for fortification or supplements to improve the selenium status of New Zealanders."
Two recent samples recently bought contained 2.6 and 29 mcg of selenium per gram of brazil nut My advice is not to rely on brazil nuts unless their selenium content is known. Professor Thomas John Walker, Halswell Christchurch.
   A. This is interesting. I think it is quite safe to ingest one Brazil nut, no matter from what source a day or two a week.

Cashew Nut Anacardium occidentale
Cashew nut allergy can be of concern. Anaphylaxis to cashew nut is more common than to peanut. Children with cashew allergy are at risk of anaphylaxis.

Hazel Nut
Hazelnuts have a high amount of tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Kola Nut

Kukui Nut
Kukui nut is popular in Hawaii and used topically for psoriasis although little research exists to substantiate the effectiveness of kukui nut oil applied topically for the treatment of psoriasis.

Macadamia nut

Peanut and Peanut Allergy
A skin prick result > or = 8 mm or a specific IgE > or = 15 kU A /L have a high predictive value for clinical allergy to peanut and that these cutoff figures appear generalizable to different populations of children undergoing an assessment for peanut allergy.
      Treatment of peanut allergic mice with the Chinese herbal formula known as FAHF-2 completely blocks peanut-induced allergic reactions for up to 6 months following therapy and full protection is restored following a second course of FAHF-2. These observations, if reproducible in humans, suggest that this Chinese herbal formula may be a highly effective treatment for peanut allergy. Following treatment with FAHF-2 for 7 weeks, peanut-allergic mice were completely protected against peanut-induced reactions following oral challenges administered up to 34 weeks after treatment. The research team is working to identify the bioactive compounds present in the formula. How FAHF-2 works remains unclear. Preliminary work indicates that FAHF-2 may target multiple cell types known to be involved in allergic reactions. FAHF-2 also appears to stimulate T cells to produce more interferon-gamma, a cytokine that is known to curb allergic responses.

Pecan

Pine Nut
A compound in Korean pine tree nuts may act as an appetite suppressant. A UK study was done on the effect of commercially produced pine nut oil in 18 overweight women. These volunteers were randomly divided into a group that received gel capsules containing either Lipid Nutrition's PinnoThin pine oil product or olive oil, before eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast of white bread and orange marmalade. One week later the researchers repeated the experiment, giving pine nut oil-containing capsules to the women who originally consumed olive oil and vice versa. The oil in the pine nuts appeared to promote the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), two gastrointestinal hormones that are known to send "satiety signals" - i.e. signals that the stomach is feeling full - to the brain. After taking the pine nut oil-containing capsules, the women reported a lower desire to eat and a desire to eat less food during their next meal than they did after consuming the olive oil supplements. Pine nuts in general are a good source of protein and healthy fats, particularly for vegetarians. Apparently Korean pine nut is contains much higher levels of the polyunsaturated fats than do other nuts.
   Press release from Source Naturals - Korean pine nuts are a rich source of pinolenic acid, which may increase concentrations of the satiety hormones glucogon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK). A small-scale study suggests that Source Naturals PineSlim, containing PinnoThin may reduce feelings of hunger by increasing concentrations of appetite-suppressing hormones.

Pistachio nut

Walnut
A diet that includes walnuts delivering polyunsaturated fatty acids can improve the lipid profile of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nuts and Fats
Nuts are high in fat but have a fatty acid profile that may be beneficial in relation to risk of coronary heart disease. Nuts also contain other potentially cardioprotective constituents including phytosterols, tocopherols and squalene. A study was conducted to determine the total oil content, peroxide value, composition of fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols and squalene content in the oil extracted from freshly ground walnuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and the macadamia nut. The total oil content of the nuts ranged from 38 to 602%. The main monounsaturated fatty acid was oleic acid (C18:1) with substantial levels of palmitoleic acid (C16:1) present in the macadamia nut. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids present were linoleic acid (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3). alpha-Tocopherol was the most prevalent tocopherol except in walnuts. The levels of squalene detected ranged from 9 to 186 microg/g. beta-Sitosterol was the most abundant sterol, ranging in concentration from 991 to 2071 microg/g oil. Campesterol and stigmasterol were also present in significant concentrations. All five nuts are a good source of monounsaturated fatty acid, tocopherols, squalene and phytosterols.

Phytosterols in Nuts and Seeds
Sesame seeds and wheat germ have the highest total phytosterol content (400-413 mg/100 g) and Brazil nuts the lowest (95 mg/100 g). Of the products typically consumed as snack foods, pistachio nuts and sunflower kernel are richest in phytosterols (270-289 mg/100 g). beta-Sitosterol, Delta5-avenasterol, and campesterol are predominant.

Polyphenols in nuts
Q. I am writing a book on polyphenols and mention of tannins in nuts. Can you give me one good quotation about the polyphenols in nuts (same as chocolate, coffee, and red wine?) and how they work to stave off disease (which ones)? In easy lay person terminology.
   A. Polyphenol antioxidants found in nuts are able to inhibit cholesterol and lipid oxidation, thus potentially reducing the risk for hardening of the arteries. In rodent studies, nut polyphenols are able to reduce the risk of cancer in the lung, liver, skin and esophagus and probably other sites. Frequent nut consumption is associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Effect of nut consumption on plasma polyphenol, antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation of healthy humans
The FASEB Journal. 2008;22:lb734. Bio Statistics, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA
To assess the immediate effect of treatment meal (75% of energy from nuts: walnut or almond) and control meal (nut free meal) on plasma polyphenols levels, antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in healthy volunteers. Thirteen subjects participated in a randomized, crossover, intervention study. After an overnight fast, walnut, almond or control meal in the form of smoothies were consumed by study subjects. Each subject participated on three occasions one week apart, consuming one of the smoothies each time. There was a significant increase in plasma polyphenol concentration following both the nut meals, with peak concentrations reaching at 90 min, with walnut meal having a more sustained higher concentration than almond meal. The plasma total antioxidant capacity determined reached its highest point at 150 min post-consumption of the nut meals, and was higher after the almond compared to walnut meal. A gradual significant reduction in the susceptibility of plasma to lipid peroxidation was observed 90 min after ingestion of the nut meals. No changes were observed following consumption of control meal. Consumption of both nuts increased plasma polyphenol concentrations, increased the total antioxidant capacity and reduced plasma lipid peroxidation.

Nuts and Cholesterol
Consumption of approximately 50-100 g (approximately 1.5-3.5 servings) of nuts a few  times a week as part of a heart-healthy diet with total fat content (high in mono- and/or polyunsaturated fatty acids) of approximately 35% of energy may decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

Nuts and Heart Attack
A European study says eating nuts, including peanuts, can help reduce risk of coronary heart disease. For the first time, the association between nut consumption and health in nearly 400,000 Europeans has been studied to take account of the different dietary habits and nut intake patterns between Americans and Europeans. The researchers identified that nearly half of Europeans rarely consume nuts, yet an intake of just two servings of nuts per week, where each serving is about a handful -- one ounce -- may reduce risk of death from coronary heart disease by 11 percent. "The important thing is that very modest consumption is associated with protection," said Elio Riboli, professor of cancer epidemiology at Imperial College in London. "A small plate of nuts with a glass of wine would be a healthy amount. A classic aperitif accompanied by a dish of nuts at least twice a week would be an ideal combination."

Nut and cancer
The potential of nuts in the prevention of cancer.
Br J Nutr. 2006 Nov;96 Suppl 2:S87-94. Human Nutrition Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain.
Like fruits and vegetables, nuts are a source of vegetable protein, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, phenolic compounds, selenium, vegetable fibre, folic acid and phytoestrogens. There are numerous mechanisms of action by which these components can intervene in the prevention of cancer, although they have not been fully elucidated. There are very few epidemiological studies analyzing the relationship between nuts consumption and risk of cancer. One of the greatest difficulties in interpreting the results is that the consumption of nuts, seeds and legumes are often presented together. The most commonly studied location is the colon / rectum, an organ in which the effect of nuts is biologically plausible. Although the results are not conclusive, a protective effect on colon and rectum cancer is possible. Likewise, some studies show a possible protective effect on prostate cancer, but there is insufficient data on other tumour locations. New epidemiological studies are required to clarify the possible effects of nuts on cancer, particularly prospective studies that make reliable and complete estimations of their consumption and which make it possible to analyse their effects independently of the consumption of legumes and seeds.

Nuts and Body Weight
Nuts are foods with a high energy density, due in part to their low water content. They also present a low saturated fat content (<7%) but a high unsaturated fat contribution (40-60%). Nuts represent one of the richest sources of dietary fiber, mostly of the insoluble type. The effects of nut intake on health have been widely studied. Some studies have focused on the effect of nuts on body weight. At present, no evidences support a detrimental effect of nut consumption on body weight. On the contrary some weight loss studies suggest a beneficial effect of nut intake on body weight regulation.

Nuts and Gallstones
Frequent nut consumption is associated with a reduced risk of gallstone disease.

We also have information on beans.

Nut Research
Chemical composition of selected edible nut seeds.
J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Jun 28;54(13):4705-14. Venkatachalam M, Sathe SK. Department of Nutrition, Food & Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Commercially important edible nut seeds were analyzed for chemical composition and moisture sorption. Moisture (1.4-9.5%), protein (7.5-21.5%), lipid (42-66%), ash (1.16-3.2%), total soluble sugars (0.55-3.9%), tannins (0.01-0.88%), and phytate (0.15-0.35%) contents varied considerably. Regardless of the seed type, lipids were mainly composed of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (>75% of the total lipids). Fatty acid composition analysis indicated that oleic acid (C(18:1)) was the main constituent of monounsaturated lipids in all seed samples. With the exception of macadamia, linoleic acid (C(18:2)) was the major polyunsaturated fatty acid. In the case of walnuts, in addition to linoleic acid (59.79%) linolenic acid (C(18:3)) also significantly contributed toward the total polyunsaturated lipids. Amino acid composition analyses indicated lysine (Brazil nut, cashew nut, hazelnut, pine nut, and walnut), sulfur amino acids methionine and cysteine (almond), tryptophan (macadamia, pecan), and threonine (peanut) to be the first limiting amino acid as compared to human (2-5 year old) amino acid requirements.