Why Eat Nuts With Skin?

The Health Benefits Of The Nut Skin!

The skin of all nuts including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, pecans and also peanuts has a wealth of nutrition and we stand to lose this invaluable nutrition if we eat them without their skin.

Although cashew nuts are majorly sold minus their skin, they are also available with skin. It is healthier if we eat them with the skin.

Many people eat almonds after soaking and removing their skin, but this practice is robbing them of valuable nutrition.

Nut skin is rich in fibre, mostly insoluble fibre.

Many people know that nuts have ample fibre, what few know is that most of it is present in the skin and only fraction of it is in the nut proper.

Insoluble fibre slows down digestion of food and improves its satiety and prevents over eating.

It also slows down absorption of sugar from the carbohydrates in the food, helping control blood sugar levels, helps digestion and facilitates passage of stools out of the body, preventing constipation and helps keep the bacterial flora in the intestines healthy. This healthy bacterial flora helps digestion.

Nut skin is also rich in various antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Almond: The brown skin of almonds are rich in polyphenols (antioxidants), such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. It also has trace amounts of vitamin E and minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium.

Walnuts: The thin, papery skin of walnuts has tannins (antioxidants) and polyphenols and is also packed with essential minerals like copper and manganese.

Pistachios: The greenish-purple skin of pistachios is rich in carotenoids, anthocyanins, and phenolic compounds and it also provides vitamins (B6) and minerals like potassium and magnesium.

Cashew nuts: Cashew nut skin is rich in flavonoids and also provides trace minerals like magnesium and zinc.

Hazelnuts: The brown skin of hazelnuts is rich in powerful antioxidants viz. proanthocyanidins and provide vitamins like E and minerals like manganese and copper.

Pecans: The skin of pecans contains ellagic acid and other phenolic compounds and essential minerals like manganese and zinc.

Peanuts: Peanut skin is rich in fibre and polyphenols like resveratrol. It is also known to have Vitamin E and biotin (B7), niacin (B3), folate (B9), thiamine (B1), and riboflavin (B2). It also has minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron. Peanut skin also has small amounts of proteins and healthy fats, including essential fatty acids.

Health Benefits of Antioxidants:

Antioxidant reduce Oxidative Stress: Protects cells from free radical damage.

 Lower Risk of Chronic Diseases: Reduces inflammation and supports heart, brain, and immune health.

Promotes Healthy Aging: Protects skin and other tissues from aging effects.

Improves Eye Health: Carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin support vision.

Health benefits of vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.

Vitamins C and E strengthen immunity.

Essential vitamins and minerals support overall health, enhance nutrient intake and

bolster immune function.

A note of caution:

Eat nuts moderately. They are high fat and high calorie and can cause weight gain.

Do not snack on them indiscriminately.

Tannins work as antioxidants in moderate amounts, but can interfere with nutrient

absorption if consumed in large quantities.

Also read the article ’Lots Of Cheese And Nuts Won’t Make You Slim!