which nuts are most healthiest for you

mumto3, Mar 15, 9:48am
Just trying to get some better stuff into the kids and I know nuts are good but which are best? Today I game them a little mix of unslated cashews, almonds and walnuts

carbon_trader, Mar 15, 9:52am
who cares... . ? Just keep feeding me Pistachio and Macadamia nuts please !

beaker59, Mar 15, 9:58am
Not sure about the kids but Almonds are good for getting dads colesterol down.

hestia, Mar 15, 11:00am
It is more healthy to eat a variety of nuts.

cookessentials, Mar 15, 6:04pm
Always err on the side of caution with children and nuts, however, almonds, pecans, brazil are all good ones. If you Google "nutritional value of nuts" or something similar you should be able to get some good info.

indigojo, Mar 15, 7:57pm
my preschoolers like almonds and brazil nuts (they have a peanut intolerance so those are out). I usually give them a few nuts with lunch. They like walnuts if I can get them in the shell - though I suspect that is more because they like cracking the shells!

I read somewhere that you should limit brazil nuts to 2-4 a day because of the selenium - anyone got any more info on this?

buzzy110, Mar 15, 8:50pm
Remember that nuts contain enzyme inhibitors. An enzyme inhibitor is in the nut to prevent it from sprouting till conditions are right, i. e. Spring rains, temperatures, etc. This means that whilst they do contain many nutrients, they are locked away by the enzyme inhibitors and will go straight through without too many nutrients being metabolised for dietary use.

By all means feed your children nuts but be aware that the presence of enzyme inhibitors, can in a few cases, lead to nut allergies and therefore should not be eaten in large quantities.

On the other hand nuts are, like all plant food, rather delicious with wonderful crunchiness and texture and it would be silly to deny yourself the simple pleasure of eating a few now and again because they contain inconvenient things like enzyme inhibitors. If you invest in the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon there is much more information than I can impart here and you will learn how to neutralise the inhibitor.

red2, Mar 15, 9:13pm
re brazils - a couple a day is fine - we need the selenium from them but not in high doses . Almonds are good too . Have you tried mixing the nuts with some seeds ? Good ones are pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

fruitluva2, Mar 15, 9:34pm
Nut milks to drink or on cereals is delicious in place of bland milk. Nut loaves with zucchini or other is yummo. Baked jack cheese with almonds and roasted capsicum is delish too.

snapit, Mar 15, 10:57pm
I have both mac nuts and walnuts growing but also enjoy the almonds I get from a friend down the road. I use them a lot in cooking and I agree add some seeds as well, all in moderation like all things, and variety is the spice of life.
I am so pleased I saw this thread developing first on the Trademe Community Recipe Forum. do come and join us and have some fun with us. Stack of ---- loved the Trademe forum so much she has hijacked the lot but has not acknowledged where it came from naughty naughty.
. trademe.co http://www.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Threads. aspx? topic=13

cookessentials, Mar 16, 2:52am
In regards to the silenium in Brazil nuts - I do know that NZ has extremely low levels of selenium in its soil, so a few of the Brazil nuts would have to be good for you.

dms01, Mar 16, 3:25am
I believe I saw this on an NZ nutrition show, that 2 brazils a day is good stuff

cwt30, Mar 16, 7:13am
try a mixture of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and pine nuts... very tasty and very healthy.

golfpunk0r, Mar 16, 8:05am
I am following the Eat Right 4 Your Type program at the moment. . and according to my blood type I shouldn't be eating sunflower seeds or brazil nuts... but pumpkin seeds are a must and also walnuts but it's been a very interesting read if you know what your blood type is! And yes I have also been told that too many brazil nuts are not good but like anything. . in moderation. I got the Eat Right 4 Your Type books out from the library by Dr Peter J. D'Adamo and they have lists of what are Medicine foods and what are considered off limits. Has worked really well so far. . been following it for 3 weeks lost 2 kgs in one of the weeks as well with no exercise and ate yummy yummy food including a variety of seeds and nuts!

maxwell.inc, Nov 6, 6:10pm
I'd be more worried about the radioactive radium in brazil nuts than the selenium! (1–7 pCi/g (40–260 Bq/kg)