Vegetable and animal fats have been part of the human diet for a long time. Here, you will learn more about fats in general, but above all, you will learn more about nuts and omega-6 foods.
Nuts are often referred to as fatteners and calorie bombs. This is mainly due to the fact that nuts contain a relatively high amount of fat, namely, on average, between 50g and 75g of fat per 100g. However, fat is not the same as fat.
There are different types of fatty acids, and they all have different effects on our bodies. In this post, we will explain which fatty acids are contained in nuts and why nuts contain a lot of healthy fats.
There are 2 types of fatty acids: saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids
There are basically two types of fatty acids: saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The saturated fatty acids are unhealthy fatty acids that do not have double bonds in the fatty acid chain. Saturated fatty acids are found in all animal products and foods, such as butter, dairy products, meat, and sausages. In contrast, unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., also contained in vegetable oils) are healthy for the body because they form double bonds between the carbon atoms.
In the case of unsaturated fatty acids, a
distinction can then
be made
between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In
the case of
monounsaturated fatty acids, the molecule has a double bond
in the fatty acid chain; in the case
of
polyunsaturated fatty acids, there are two or more double bonds
.
What role do these fatty acids play in the diet?
Basically, fatty acids should be an essential part of your daily diet. Among other things, fat is responsible for the hormones in our body and is part of our body structure, for example, in cell membranes. So fat plays a very important role for our body and should therefore be consumed in sufficient quantities.
For a healthy diet, the DGE (German Nutrition Society) recommends that an adult should consume a maximum of 30% of the daily total energy intake in the form of fat for light to moderate physical work. According to the recommendation, a maximum of 10% saturated fats, 13% monounsaturated fatty acids, and 7% polyunsaturated fatty acids should be ingested with daily food intake.
Saturated fatty acids increase our blood fats, such as triglycerides, the so-called "bad" LDL cholesterol and consequently total cholesterol.
Caution: Solid vegetable fats such as coconut fat or palm oil also contain saturated fatty acids. So there are really good fats and bad fats.
These fatty acids are found in nuts – nuts and omega 3
Nuts contain a particularly high amount of high-quality fat. They contain a small proportion of the unhealthy saturated fatty acids and a high proportion of healthy unsaturated fatty acids. Nuts, and walnuts in particular, are known for a high proportion of the polyunsaturated fatty acid omega-3.
That's why the omega-3 fatty acid in nuts is so healthy
When it comes to fat distribution, walnuts are an excellent choice. They contain predominantly polyunsaturated fatty acids and also have an optimal omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 intake should be approximately 5:1. This means that for every 5 parts of omega-6 fatty acids, you should consume 1 part of omega-3 fatty acids.
Juicy Walnut Carrot Cake
Accessories
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Springform
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Grater
Ingredients
- 100 g walnuts
- 200 g carrots
- 3 apples
- 140 g spelt flour
- 1/2 Pkg Baking Powder
- 2 eggs
- 4 tsp agave syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla flavour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 50 g melted coconut oil
Preparation
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Crush the walnuts in a food processor or blender first.
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Then grate the carrots and the 3 apples.
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Now place the grated walnut kernels, carrots, and apples in a large bowl.
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Then add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix them all together well to create a creamy dough.
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Next, fill your dough into a springform pan and smooth it out. If you want, you can press a few whole walnut kernels into the top of the dough.
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Then place the cake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius for about 1h 20 min. To prevent the cake from burning at the top, cover the cake with foil after about 40 minutes of baking.
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After the baking time, the cake is still a bit soft on the inside, so let it cool down well.
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When the cake has cooled down, you can take it out of the mould and enjoy.
Nutritional values
The ratio between omega-6 (linoleic acid) and omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) in nuts
This ratio between the two fatty acids is very crucial. The messenger substances from omega-6 fatty acids have a pro-inflammatory effect, while omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect. If we consume too much omega-6 fatty acids (e.g., sunflower oil, safflower oil), the effect of the omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., contained in olive oil, rapeseed oil, and fish oil) is blocked.
In reality, however, this ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 is 20:1 for many people. In practice, this means that you should increase the proportion of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, such as by eating walnuts, rapeseed oil, and linseed oil.
But other nuts such as macadamia also
contain an almost optimal omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio of 6:1.
It also contains many monounsaturated fatty acids and only a small proportion of polyunsaturated fats.
Why is the fat in nuts so healthy?
As already mentioned, nuts such as cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts contain a particularly high proportion of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some nuts, such as walnut and macadamia, have a particularly good ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids , while other nuts, such as peanuts, contain less omega-3 fatty acids but more protein.
Overall, all nuts have a positive effect on blood lipid levels (cholesterol levels) due to the omega 3 they contain, as well as help in diabetes and prevent cardiovascular diseases . Due to the multitude of health benefits from eating nuts, they should definitely not be missing from your diet. Whether as a snack , stirred into your porridge, or as an ingredient in baking, a handful of nuts can easily be integrated into your diet, and the vegetable fats are good for your body.
The Macadamia – Queen of Nuts
The macadamia nut (also called Queensland nut) has its origin in the rainforests of Australia. Meanwhile, Hawaii, South Africa, New Zealand, Kenya, Brazil, and California are also important growing regions. Named after the Scottish-Australian scientist John Macadam, the macadamia nut is one of the noblest nut varieties today.
With these – by the way, the most expensive nuts in the world – the saying applies: hard shell – soft core. The macadamia tree (Macadamia integrifolia) quite often forms several trunks and, according to botany, belongs to the silver tree family. In early summer, the white or pink or purple flowers sometimes hang down in long inflorescences.
At the age of seven to ten years, the trees produce their first fruits. With regular harvesting, the fruits of macadamia ripen several times a year in a hard shell and fall to the ground as soon as they are ripe. Since the macadamias can hardly be opened with a conventional nutcracker, they are usually sold peeled.
Already the indigenous people of Australia – the Aborigines found the seeds to be edible and valued macadamias as a food source.
Why are macadamia nuts so healthy?
With a fat content of 75%, the macadamia nut is one of the fattiest nuts. But they are valuable fats that do not harm the body. As far as the proportion of essential nutrients is concerned, macadamia nuts are also true nutrient bombs, which support the body in numerous important functions even in small amounts. They contain numerous vitamins (such as vitamin B, vitamin B1, and vitamin E). They are rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3.
What are the health benefits of macadamia?
- They support your digestion
- Strengthen your cardiovascular system
- Prevents the aging process
- Strengthen your muscles and nerves
- Supports brain performance and strengthens your bones
- Helping you lose weight
Whether you enjoy the nuts neat or whether you want to roast them and add them to your muesli or porridge is entirely up to you.
In addition to macadamia nuts, cashews and pecans are also valuable energy and nutrient suppliers – and a little cheaper in trade.
Our Nuts Conclusion
Nuts are therefore a high-quality source of healthy fatty acids , as they contain predominantly mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids and many nuts also have a good ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids. So nuts should definitely not be missing from your daily shopping cart.
The valuable omega-3 in nuts is one thing, but they also contain high-quality protein, healthy fibre and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals . Since they are a purely plant-based food, they are also perfect for a vegan diet. You can find out what other nutritional values are contained in the different types of nuts , such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, etc., here.
By the way: There are also so-called trans fatty acids – trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids that are produced during various processes such as frying. So you can find them in many baked goods. They should be avoided as much as possible.
If you want to protect your body from heart disease and maintain important functions in the human body for a long time, you should avoid finished products as much as possible. Here are a few examples of omega-3 foods and omega-6 foods that are rich in healthy fats: tuna, avocados, flaxseed, mackerel, nuts,… .
And also, for vegetable oils, there are differences. Walnut oil, rapeseed oil, and olive oil should always be on your menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How healthy is macadamia nut?
As far as the proportion of essential nutrients is concerned, macadamia nuts are true nutrient bombs that support the body in numerous important functions even in small amounts. They contain many vitamins (such as vitamin B, vitamin B1, and vitamin E) and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3. As a result, they support your digestion, strengthen your cardiovascular system, prevent the aging process, strengthen muscles and nerves, support brain performance and strengthen your bones. They also help you lose weight through a long-lasting feeling of fullness.
How many macadamia nuts per day?
The special feature of the macadamia nut is that your body receives a concentrated load of essential fatty acids, vitamins, and fiber, but of course also in calories, even with a small amount. Therefore: 10 nuts a day are enough to provide you with nutrients.
Why is macadamia nut so expensive?
The extremely protein- and fat-rich nut is comparatively very expensive because its cultivation and, above all, its processing are complex. The demand for this noble nut is also growing steadily, and the supply does not always keep up with the growing demand.
Can you eat too many macadamia nuts?
Macadamias are very high in fat and, accordingly, contain a lot of calories. Of course, with excessive consumption, the many calories in the macadamia nuts can also have a negative effect. You should therefore not exceed a quantity of 10 nuts per day. Above all, you should also take care not to eat the nuts salted, as they are often sold commercially.
