Do nuts make us fat?

Most of us would think so, right? But a study on our national nut intake suggests otherwise.

It was done by the School of Medicine at Wollongong Uni using data collected in 2011-2012.

Dietary guidelines recommend 30 grams of (unsalted) nuts per day. Nuts provide fibre, healthy oils, and minerals such as magnesium. They’re a component of the Mediterranean Diet and are promoted as heart-healthy. Those good fats are also a bonus for our brains and our skin.

Average nut consumption though is low — about 4.6 grams. Only 5-6% of people who eat nuts are apparently eating 30 grams a day, maybe because of a concern that the oil is fattening.

But higher consumption of nuts was associated with a significantly lower waist circumference. So 30 grams of nuts a day nuts don’t make us fat.

In fact, they make a great snack and are more nutritious than other snack foods such as muffins, biscuits, cakes, crackers or chips.

How many nuts are we talking about? I weighed almonds and it took 23 of them to hit 30 grams.

If they’re not a part of your diet, it might be time they were.

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