Hi again,
Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful sunny day. It’s amazing what a little vitamin D can do for the soul!
Continuing with our discussion about paleo eating, I wanted to talk a bit about the role of nuts on this diet. I’ve always thought of nuts as a healthy, albeit calorically dense food group. We all know that nuts are not only absolutely delicious (I’d take them any day over chocolate), but also rich in both mono and polyunsaturates, comprised of both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. As you know, our bodies do not produce either essential fat and so we must look to a variety of food sources to ensure our bodies are getting a balanced amount of both. The problem arises when we get too much of one essential fat, that being omega 6, which is found in every vegetable oil and just about every packaged good out there. Most nuts unfortunately, also contain high levels of omega 6, which when eaten in large amounts, can create inflammation in the body, something we try very hard to avoid. Almonds for example, are quite high in omega 6, although they are also a good source of vitamin E. That being said, I have decided to switch over to macadamia nuts instead, because they are low in omega 6 as well as phytic acid which acts as an anti-nutrient in the body (blocks our body’s ability to absorb nutrients from the nut).
I actually just made up some macadamia butter in my food processor this morning and I must tell you, it is so yummy! One word of warning though; these nuts are crazy expensive! I figure that’s a good enough reason to stop after one tablespoon!
I bought these small packets at my local health food store. They’re perfect sample sizes and are available in just about every nut butter variety known to man!
One last thought.…Please don’t think you now need to throw out your almonds/almond butter because that’s not what I’m suggesting you do. Instead, I suggest to you to try to be mindful as to the amount of nuts you’re consuming on a daily basis. They should really only be eaten in small amounts, as a snack, or as a crunchy garnish to your salad, yogurt or cottage cheese. (if you’re still eating dairy, but that’s another story!)
Good luck! Happy weekend!!