It is important for people with nut allergies to see an allergist to find out more about their allergy and whether there are any nuts they can eat. You can add protein, healthy fats, nutrients, and satiety that nuts contribute to your diet.
The research supporting nuts as an important component of the daily diet is strong. Multicentre study in Spainresearchers assigned about 7,500 people at high risk for cardiovascular disease to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either a low-fat diet or extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts.
After approximately 5 years of follow-up, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either extra virgin olive oil or nuts reduced the risk of major cardiac events by approximately 30% compared with controls. Other benefits were seen in those who ate healthy fat sources (olive oil or nuts), including lower risk of dementia, diabetes and breast cancer.
Learn more about nut allergies
Tree nut allergies are one of the most common food allergies, affecting approximately 0.5-1% of the US population. American Society for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Peanuts are actually legumes, but they are different from tree nuts from a botanical point of view, but similar in terms of their health effects.
People with tree nut allergies are often allergic to multiple types of nuts, but an allergy to one type of tree nut or peanuts does not necessarily mean that the individual is allergic to all other nuts. .
If you are among those who have been told not to eat nuts, additional specific testing is recommended.According to AAAAI, tree nut allergies are diagnosed in childhood and persist into adulthood. An estimated 10% of children overcome it over time.
Also, some people are highly allergic to peanuts but not tree nuts, or vice versa, and may not be aware of this. Careful medical supervision is essential.
If you have a limited nut allergy and find that you can safely eat certain nuts, that’s good news. It is an excellent source of fiber and many other phytochemicals.
If you have a nut allergy, try the seeds
Seeds are a great alternative for those who know that peanuts and tree nuts are absolutely inedible. Seeds are a package of nutrients that allow young plants to grow, and these same nutrients are good for humans as well.
Seeds are sorted somewhat arbitrarily. Many of the plants we eat are seeds such as grains, legumes, beans and nuts. But when we talk about seeds, we’re talking about pumpkins, sunflowers, chia, poppies, sesame seeds, etc. According to AAAAIpeople with tree nut allergies can usually tolerate macadamia nuts and pine nuts as well as seeds.
Our population does not consume enough seeds to sustainably observe long-term health effects. Seeds are rich in protein, unsaturated fatty acids and fiber and are packed with vitamins and minerals.
Sunflower seed butter is very similar in flavor to peanut butter and other nut butters. Adding seed butter to your diet is a pretty easy switch that people with nut allergies can make to get the extra protein, healthy fats, and nutrients they’re missing from not eating nuts. is one of
Whether you can eat nuts or are restricted to seeds, these wonderful foods shouldn’t be considered snacks. It can be part of any salad and can replace cheese and animal products. Nuts and seeds can also be substituted for ground beef in stuffed pepper recipes.
Dried chickpeas make a crunchy alternative to nuts for snacking and sprinkling on salads. Dried chickpeas are a legume and tend to be more starchy than most nuts. It’s not a perfect alternative, but it might be a good idea to try it as part of your mix.
As another snack substitute, my two go-tos are apples and carrots. They are rich in fiber and nutrients, induce satiety, and add only a modest amount of calories.
When I was writing the first edition of my book on nutritional epidemiology, I put on about five pounds because I spent so much time writing. For the second edition, I didn’t want to do it again, so I had lots of carrots and apples for snacking. It worked.
Many people snack on dried fruit, but it doesn’t induce satiety as well as other foods.
It’s important to note that food doesn’t have to be completely off-limits. It’s okay to eat foods that you like but aren’t healthy from time to time. But when it comes to daily snacks, it helps to declare what your snacks are and have them consciously available.
Walter Willett is a physician and professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard TH Chang School of Public Health.
