# Nuts a good snack?



## montage (11 Oct 2009)

Or do they make you fat?


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## andrew-the-tortoise (11 Oct 2009)

In moderation they are excellent foodstuffs, I have been told.


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## Hacienda71 (11 Oct 2009)

If you suffer high cholesterol they are fine as the fat they contain is good cholesterol forming. This doesn't stop them making you fat as a most nut types are high in fat, but it is more like the fat you would get in oily fish etc. so less of an issue than animal fats to the health of your heart. So better to eat nuts when out on a ride than a chocolate bar.


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## Fab Foodie (11 Oct 2009)

montage said:


> Or do they make you fat?



Nuts are a good snack for cycling and I'll take them on a long ride. They're very energy dense, slow release and a bit of salt's useful soon. Eat too many, you'll get fat.


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## bonj2 (11 Oct 2009)

montage said:


> Or do they make you fat?



they contain a lot of fat but it isn't saturated fat.
What this means for health terms i'm not sure.
IIRC, a 100g bag of tesco's fruit and nuts contains over 50% your RDA of fat.


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## ASC1951 (12 Oct 2009)

Hacienda71 said:


> it is more like the fat you would get in oily fish etc. so less of an issue than animal fats to the health of your heart.


Depends which nuts - coconut, for instance, is very high in saturated fat and it is often coconut which packs out 'trailmixes'; and peanuts are often fried.

A chart I was given by my GP a few years ago says:-
chestnuts - daily
walnuts, pinenuts - 2-3 times a week
pistachios, sunflower seeds, peanuts, most other nuts - once a week or less
coconut and cashews - avoid.


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## Bodhbh (12 Oct 2009)

They are very fattening, iirc 50-65% fat. A 100g bag will be around 600kcal. I love them, but wouldn't have them in the house . Good for backup along with dried fruit if off wildcamping or something and don't know when you might get to eat.


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## jimboalee (12 Oct 2009)

Nuts.

Low GI. High fat. Promotes satiety.

Not the ideal snack for cyclists. No, not the snack for cyclists.


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## numbnuts (12 Oct 2009)

I’ve all ways find them a bit too hard











OK I’ll get my coat


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## jimboalee (12 Oct 2009)

You know there are warnings on food labels which say "May contain nuts".

That's because some people's digestive system is closer to the 'perfect' than most others.

Nut allergy. Not surprising as Humans are not evolved to eat seeds and some folks take a wild reaction to the enzymes contained in such.


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## tyred (12 Oct 2009)

High in iron but very hard on the teeth.


Oh, _those_ nuts...


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## jimboalee (12 Oct 2009)

tyred said:


> High in iron but very hard on the teeth.
> 
> 
> Oh, _those_ nuts...



I find just one 3/4" Whitworth lasts me all day.


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## Hacienda71 (12 Oct 2009)

Taken from the FSA website:

*Are nuts a healthy snack for someone with high cholesterol?*

Nuts are a good choice of snack because they are rich in a wide range of nutrients and high in fibre. They are also a good source of monounsaturated fat, which can help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

So it's OK to eat nuts as a snack, as part of a healthy balanced diet. But remember, nuts are high in fat, so try not to eat too many. And it's a good idea to avoid salted nuts because they are very high in salt, which can raise blood pressure. Like high cholesterol, having raised blood pressure increases the chance of developing heart disease.

Eating foods that are high in saturated fat can raise levels of cholesterol in the blood. So try to cut down on foods such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, meat pies, sausages, hard cheese, butter and foods containing coconut or palm oil.

Choose foods that are rich in unsaturated fats instead, such as oily fish, avocados and sunflower, rapeseed and olive oils. Nuts can be a good alternative to snacks high in saturated fat. And don't forget that we should also try to reduce the total amount of fat we eat.

Variety is an important part of eating a healthy diet, and this includes snacks as well. Some other healthy snacks you might like to try include fresh or dried fruit, low-fat yoghurt, raw vegetables, fruit loaf with low-fat spread and currant buns (without icing).


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## jimboalee (12 Oct 2009)

I don't have any time for nuts ( the tree seed variety ).

You will find you have to munch them into a paste ( virtually peanut butter ) before swallowing. Otherwise if you gulp then down, they will come out the other end undigested in the pooh. That is how low GI they are.

Riding a bike and eating a packet of nuts is tricky beyond trying, so I don't.

Most cyclists however, prefer bananas. They can gulp them down, sometimes sideways.


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## Fab Foodie (12 Oct 2009)

jimboalee said:


> *Riding a bike and eating a packet of nuts is tricky beyond trying, so I don't.*



This is very good advice.
It's pretty dangerous, particularly as small pieces are easily inhaled whist riding. I always stop to eat nuts and make sure the crumbs are well washed-down before riding-off. Choking whilst riding a bike at speed is a very unpleasant experience.


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## jimboalee (12 Oct 2009)

I am not totally 'anti-nuts'. 

I found that eating them while cycling was difficult.
They are so low GI, the ride is over before the energy content has been digested,
and;
for the price of a pack of mixed nuts - now about £2 ( 175g ) from Tesco - I can buy more bananas than I can carry ( 50p / kg ).

And bananas have biodegradable wrappers.


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## Hont (13 Oct 2009)

Never eat them during a ride (due to the above). Much better as a post ride snack - high in protein so that helps recovery.

Robert Millar used to eat loads of them apparently (but then he was a veggie so needed to get protein from somewhere).


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## andrew-the-tortoise (13 Oct 2009)

You could always pack peanut butter sandwiches.


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## Crankarm (14 Oct 2009)

"Are you nutz!"

Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm.



Nuts and dried fruit in Bran Flakes is nice, especially those Brazil nuts which boost your immune system and keep selenium levels up.


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## jimboalee (14 Oct 2009)

"I have always thought you were crazy, but now I can see you're nuts...."

Austin Powers.


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