Top 8: Snack smart with these shop-bought nuts
Prized for centuries by the Romans, Greeks, Chinese, South and Native North Americans, nuts are high in protein, good fats, linoleic acid, and mineral content. Pictures: Larry Cummins
Making nuts part of our daily diet makes sense.
Bursting with nutrients, a balanced diet should include a wide variety of nuts, which all have their own nutritional benefits and add to our armoury of foods to fight infection.
Prized for centuries by the Romans, Greeks, Chinese, South and Native North Americans, nuts are high in protein, good fats, linoleic acid, and mineral content.
They make excellent substitutes for highly processed fatty and sugary snacks – crisps and biscuits. And they are more satisfying for longer.
Roasting them increases their absorption to deliver the best nutritional value, or enjoy them with vitamin C-rich foods – blackcurrants, oranges, lemons, kiwis, raw red cabbage, green peppers.
It’s more economical to buy nuts in large quantities, and if kept sealed in a recycled jam jar, they can last for weeks, though the higher the fat content, the quicker they go soft and rancid.
Nuts should always feel firm. Ideally, keep them visible so you can snack easily when hungry.
If eating salted nuts, avoid salt in your next dish for balance, and have a litre of water to hand to rehydrate.
We should not consume more than a teaspoon of salt a day, whether naturally present in foods, added during cooking or at the table.
Almonds have the highest amount of calcium in nuts.
They also contain fibre, B vitamins, and (good) monounsaturated fats.
The slightly smoked flavour won over tasters, though not for the price, compared to the unsmoked 500g bag we found in Mercury Polish shop (Ballincollig) for €7.79 (€15.58/kg).
There are also excellent salted almonds in The Good Olive stall at the English Market, Cork. We scored for taste.
- Score: 10
One of the most expensive in our selection, covered with good-quality chocolate.
Brazil nuts are available at lower prices in larger quantities without the chocolate.
These are substantial nuts, and due to their high-fat content, they need to be consumed quickly.
Their major advantage is selenium, which is said to contribute to our arsenal against cancer and heart disease. Top scorer for taste.
- Score: 10
Rich in folate, low in sodium and high in (good) unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, these deliver protein, a little zinc, and vitamin E.
Good in cakes, sprinkled over salads, in pesto instead of expensive pine nuts, and in porridge.
For a good, walnut-based creamy pasta sauce recipe, see Heidi Swanson at food52.com.
Scored for taste, value and quality.
- Score: 9
Rich in potassium, folate and heart-protecting monounsaturated fats.
Blend to make into a nut butter as a change to dairy. Some salted versions (not these) tend to contain more salt than we need, especially for those with high blood pressure, so check labels.
Delicious sprinkled over salads, as well as for snacking in moderation.
- Score: 8
When we shelled these, the weight halved, but €12.70/kg is still good value for deliciously fresh nuts.
Toast in an airfryer at 150°C for five minutes, or toss in a dry pan before combining with cubed watermelon and crumbled feta.
Also available are walnuts in their shells for a reasonable €4.45/kg. Lidl roasted hazelnuts 200g €3.49 (€17.45/kg) are good too.
- Score: 9
With plenty of healthy fats, fibre, protein, iron and zinc, at 0.85% these are naturally quite high in salt.
Deliciously creamy, blended until smooth (nothing added), they make a delicious dip, spread on toast or crackers, or to finish off pasta or rice dishes.
Grind to sprinkle on salads. The high-fat content means they go rancid easily, so it’s best to buy in small quantities, though it means a higher price per kilogram.
- Score: 8
It’s not easy to find unsalted pistachios, so we were glad to spot these.
Many in the shops are over-salted, so watch labels.
These roasted nuts, rich in protein, fibre, some potassium, iron, zinc and vitamins A and E, needed no flavouring, and were enjoyed by all tasters.
- Score: 9
By far the cheapest of our selection. With 94% peanuts, the remaining 6% comprises seasoning of onion powder, yeast extract, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and turmeric.
All very tasty, but there is also maltodextrin, a sugar substitute. Still, they are a good source of vitamin D, fibre, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Ideally, buy unsalted raw or roasted.
- Score: 7
