In your storecupboard: almonds, walnuts, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, & many more... (& possibly a large jar of raw mixed nuts)

Nuts - nature's storehouse of goodness

For vegetarians, especially pure vegetarians (= vegans, who don't eat any animal products including diary products or eggs), it's important to eat nuts. They contain important nutrients which are vital to the human body.

Nuts are packed with protein and nutrients. Nuts are high in energy due to their relatively high fat content. Yet the type of fats found in nuts are the 'good fats' - those which help to reduce cholesterol and heart disease. Eating nuts can improve your heart health and reduce (type 2) diabetes. Contrary to popular belief, eating nuts is also associated with lower levels of overweight and obesity.

Importantly for vegetarians, nuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids - those vital nutrients which, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to get from fish oil!

Some examples of the

• All nuts are an important source of dietary fibre and protein
• Almonds are an excellent source of calcium with more calcium than any other nut - about 235 mg/100g - and are also a source of iron, zinc, vitamin E, potassium, riboflavin and other B group vitamins.
• Brazil nuts are a good source of Vitamin E and several of the B complex vitamins, minerals such as iron, potassium, zinc and magnesium.
• Cashews are a good source of protein, iron, B complex vitamins and vitamin E.
• Hazelnuts are lower in protein and fat than other nuts, but are rich in Vitamin E and provide a wide selection of vitamins and minerals.
• Walnuts are the best source of omega-3 and also supply vitamins B and E, iron and other minerals.

(References)

Fitting nuts into your day

We reckon the trick is to find a place in your day or routine where you can tuck in a nibble-on-nuts, otherwise (we have found) it's easy to forget them. Mostly it's got to do with knowing yourself and finding a way that works for you - your lifestyle, your metabolism, your tastebuds and tummy.

A few suggestions to get you going:

• take a small jar or container with about 100g of nuts in your bag when you head out for the day
• munch a handful of nuts as you're leaving for work
• if you're a person who gets the 2 (or 3 or 4) pm hungries each afternoon, why not make this your nut-eating time of day - have them on hand for when it strikes
• try to have nuts on hand (eg keep a jar on your desk), so you can grab them when the munchies hit, rather than going for other snacks

Your cupboard may contain one big jar full of a raw nut mix which contains a selection of the nuts listed above. However, find out what works for you best. If you prefer to munch out on one kind of nut at a time (eg just cashews, or just almonds), have them in separate jars, and munch out on a different kind of nut each day. (However, we don't suggest you munch on the same kind of nut day in, day out. Variety is important as they each contain different micronutrients.)

The raw truth

Eating mostly raw nuts is preferable, as cooking does change the micronutrients and also changes the configuration of the oils in the nut.

Peanuts are the only nut which should always be eaten roasted - not raw. Peanuts, although referred to as 'nuts', differ from tree nuts like almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts and walnuts. Peanuts are actually the seed of a legume bush native to South America, which grows under the ground. Nutritionally, peanuts are more like legumes than nuts, with a higher protein content than other nuts. They are almost 50 percent fat, and are an excellent source of B group vitamins. However, many nutritionists emphasise that peanuts contain a toxin which can create serious problems for some people, and will cause problems for most people if you eat too many. To be consumed in moderation!

In your storecupboard: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), poppy seeds, linseeds

Seeds are an important part of a vegetarian diet. Small but powerful - they contain concentrated nutrients which provide nutritional variety. For example:

• Linseeds
• Poppy seeds

Here are a few serving suggestions:

• seeds are delicious sprinkled on top of or mixed with a green salad
• try them on or in fruit salad (if there's only one or two of you, make a very quick fruit salad by chopping for each person directly into a dessert bowl, half of 3-4 fruits in season: eg apple, orange, mandarin, banana, pear, grapes, persimmon (and in summer watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew, etc)
• try our Tutti Frutti Steamed Muesli - an all-vego, delicious steamed muesli featuring seeds as the delicious finishing touch

Further reading:

• A wealth of information about nuts such as fact sheets, recipes and nutrient profiles, as well as research findings and an 'Ask the Experts' facility, is available at www.nutsforhealth.com.au

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