Art of Diet

Let's Talk Nuts and Seeds!   

by Thresa Wright.

Let's talk nuts and seeds.

Nuts are a great source of protein, are easy to keep, readily found in local supermarkets and shops and are packed with healthful natural oils as well. However, I do mean natural nuts - not salted or flavour coated! -

A piece of fruit and a couple of brazil nuts, or three or four almonds make a great snack and is much better for you than the sugar packed nut bars that you can buy. Be aware though - nuts are fattening and so you only need a small handful to satisfy hunger pangs.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are also found in nuts (notably almond, apricot and prune kernels). EFAs stimulate metabolism, increase metabolic rate and oxidation. They speed up the rate at which our body burns fats and glucose when it gets more than 12-15% of total calories as EFAs which would equate to upwards of 3 tablespoons per day. EFAs help to burn off excess fats and help a person to lose weight and stay slim. Oily fish has the most EFAs, notably tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines - make oily fish part of your healthy diet too!

Pumpkin seeds are readily available at this time of the year. Scrape them out of the pumpkin, discarding as much of the fibrous strands as possible and roast in chilli flavoured olive oil, for a delicious snack - or better still sprinkle a few roasted seeds over the homemade pumpkin soup that you have made from the pumpkin flesh.

Incidentally, I have found Unrefined Avocado Oil to be extremely beneficial to use on the skin of my clients suffering from eczema.

Here is a recipe for Chestnut Soup which is warming and comforting at this time of the year.
Serves 4
500g tin of chestnuts
100ml of chicken or vegetable stock
One onion, finely chopped
Bay leaf
3 sage leaves
500ml rice milk

Put the onions and stock in a deep saucepan and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the chestnuts, herbs and milk. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes.

Remove herbs and then liquidise until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return to pan to heat through. You may need to add a little extra milk or stock to balance the consistency.

Think about including nuts and seeds in your diet. They are packed full of healthful oils and a great source of protein - wonderful if you are vegetarian or vegan -, but if you're just a regular omnivore (eats everything), nuts and seeds will add variety and interest to your diet.

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