Best Nuts For Weight Loss

If you search for diets or diet books on the internet, you come up with many different books or diet plans that guarantee losing weight fast.  Some of these diet plans are healthy, while some of them are not so healthy.  The best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to watch what you eat and exercise. 

A healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, plenty of fiber, plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, and high-quality lean proteins will help trim your waistline.   Having a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner are great ways to maintain adequate calories for weight loss.  However, sometimes you get hungry mid-morning or mid-afternoon and you have trouble finding the right snack to eat.

Nuts are a great food to snack on.  They are full of fiber, healthy fats like mono and polyunsaturated fats, and low in saturated fats.   Nuts are also full of high-quality proteins and provide a great pick-me-up during those hungry times during the day.  A handful of nuts can be great for satisfying your hunger and helping you to lose weight.

Here is a list of the best nuts for helping you lose weight fast!

1) Almonds

Nutrient Breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 164
Total Fat:  14 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.1 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 9.1 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 3.5 grams
Fiber: 3.3 grams
Protein: 6 grams

Almonds are a little powerhouse of nutrition.   With heart healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, almonds have been recommended to help reduce total cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol.   Almonds are low in carbohydrates, but high in fiber.  Almonds also have high levels of Vitamin E, which is great for the eyes and possibly the skin.   Almonds also have phytosterols found in the skin, which have been shown helpful in reducing cholesterol and protecting the heart.


2) Cashews

Nutrient Breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 163
Total Fat:  13 grams
Saturated Fat: 2.6 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 7.7 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 2.2 grams
Fiber: 0.9 grams
Protein: 4 grams

Cashews are a great nut for helping battle both Diabetes and Heart Disease.  Cashews do have a higher fat content than most nuts, but the fat found in cashews can be considered a healthy fat.   Higher levels of mono and polyunsaturated fats make this a perfect snack for heart patients or people looking to watch their dietary fat intake.   Cashews have adequate levels of magnesium and copper, which are minerals needed to maintain proper functioning.

3) Peanuts

Nutrient Breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 166
Total Fat: 14 grams
Saturated Fat: 2.0 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 7.0 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 4.4 grams
Fiber: 11.7 grams
Protein: 7 grams

Not only are peanuts loaded with fat-fighting fiber, but they are abundant in plenty of vitamins and minerals that have been shown to fight some diseases, including cardiovascular disease and some cancers.  Peanuts have niacin, Co-enzyme Q10, plenty of antioxidants, and Resveratrol, which has been linked to reduction in cardiovascular disease and some cancers. 

4) Walnuts

Nutrient Breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 185
Total Fat: 18 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.7 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 2.5 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 13.4 grams
Fiber: 1.9 grams
Protein: 4 grams

Walnuts are a great source of heart healthy fats, with high levels of polyunsaturated fats, which has been linked to lower cardiovascular risk factors.   Considered by some to be the best nut for better heart health, walnuts have been shown to decrease damage from free radicals to certain cells.  The reason for this: walnuts are chock full of antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce damage caused by oxidative stress.

5) Pecans

Nutrient Breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 196
Total Fat: 20 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.8 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 11.6 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 6.1 grams
Fiber: 10.4 grams
Protein: 3 grams

At 10.4 grams of fiber, you are getting roughly 10% of your daily intake in 1 ounce of pecans.  So if the fiber content blew your mind, wait for this:  Pecans have an immense amount of the heart healthy fats that can help lower LDL cholesterol, and raise our good HDL cholesterol.  Under 200 calories, pecans provide a healthy supply of Vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and other trace minerals that our body needs for optimal functioning.

6) Macadamia Nuts

Nutrient breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 203
Total Fat: 22 grams
Saturated Fat: 3.4 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 16.8 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.4 grams
Fiber: 2.3 grams
Protein: 2 grams

Macadamia nuts, like other tree nuts, have been shown beneficial in helping to reduce total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and are recommended in a heart healthy diet.  Having a high amount of mon-unsaturated fats, these nuts can be an alternative to other nuts for helping reduce cardiovascular risk factors. 

7) Pistachios

Nutrient breakdown (1 ounce)

Calories: 161
Total Fat: 13 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.6 grams
Monounsaturated Fats: 6.8 grams
Polyunsaturated Fats: 3.9 grams
Fiber: 2.9 grams
Protein: 6 grams