Juicyfruit
07-11-2006, 12:08 PM
Here is some good info on nuts. I have noticed that some people are talking about getting headaches and such and thinking it may be the nuts. I have read a little about aflatoxins and they can cause headaches. Maybe that is a consideration for the bad reactions people are having.
Consuming Nuts
The nuts that you normally buy are shelled nuts. Those nuts cannot be shelled mechanically and have not been shelled by hand (which would make them quite a bit more expensive). These nuts are shelled by either heating or quick-freezing them which is what makes the shells fall off. Unfortunately, this also causes 'dirty' protein to originate.
You have to shell those nuts by hand to eliminate 'dirty' protein.
Unshelled peanuts and cashew nuts, though, are rarely raw either - but mostly roasted in the shell, just like pistachios are roasted in the shell. Raw peanuts are very poorly digested and should not be eaten raw.
Aflatoxins
Aflatoxins are toxins produced by molds. Nuts can contain aflatoxins in the same way as meat, eggs, milk, cheese, and grains can. Aflatoxins are not destroyed by heat.
The shell protects fresh nuts from being contaminated by bad nuts, which is another reason why you should buy unshelled nuts and shell them by hand. If you shell nuts by hand, you can easily see whether the nut contains a mold or not. Buying shelled nuts, the bad nuts have been removed but can already have contaminated the others with aflatoxins produced by the molds on the removed bad nut.
Furthermore, it is harder to detect whether the nut tastes bad if the nuts have been salted.
A small amount of aflatoxins from a single not-so-fresh nut is not
that big a problem, for nuts also contain ellagic acid, which inhibits the activation of aflatoxins by enzymes.
Phthalates
Shelled nuts can also contain phthalates, which can cause cancer.
The plastic package holding nuts for example (or canned peas, rice crackers, and baby food) contains phthalates to keep the plastic flexible - yet another reason to consume only raw nuts that you have shelled by hand (nutcracker).
Brazil nuts
Fresh Brazil nuts are supposed to be ivory white; if they've turned yellow - don't eat them. If you're not sure, take a little bite, and focus on the after-taste; you will definitely taste it if the nut is not good anymore.
You never feel like eating too many raw nuts at a time because they do not contain appetite-enhancing beta-carbolines and because they're so concentrated; fresh nuts hold (on the average) only 5% water. Fruits usually contain 80 to 90% water.
Consuming Brazil nuts protects the Brazilian, Bolivian, and Peruvian rainforests from being cut. It helps to increase the economic value of the Brazil nut evergreen trees - huge 30 to 50 meter high trees. Until now the demand for Brazil nuts is far lower than the forest offers, and the natives from the rain forests that gather those nuts are hardly paid - if at all. If Brazil nut prices would increase, more natives will protect their trees.
Brazil nuts contain high levels of vitamins the highest vitamin B1 content, for example. They also have a high mineral content, and the best quality protein of all foods.
Compared to other prepared nuts, prepared Brazil nuts are rather boring, but raw Brazil nuts taste better than other raw nuts, probably because Brazil nuts contain generous amounts of (healthy) fats (67%) and little fiber and tannins. Brazil nuts have a creamy coconut kind of taste.
Consuming Nuts
The nuts that you normally buy are shelled nuts. Those nuts cannot be shelled mechanically and have not been shelled by hand (which would make them quite a bit more expensive). These nuts are shelled by either heating or quick-freezing them which is what makes the shells fall off. Unfortunately, this also causes 'dirty' protein to originate.
You have to shell those nuts by hand to eliminate 'dirty' protein.
Unshelled peanuts and cashew nuts, though, are rarely raw either - but mostly roasted in the shell, just like pistachios are roasted in the shell. Raw peanuts are very poorly digested and should not be eaten raw.
Aflatoxins
Aflatoxins are toxins produced by molds. Nuts can contain aflatoxins in the same way as meat, eggs, milk, cheese, and grains can. Aflatoxins are not destroyed by heat.
The shell protects fresh nuts from being contaminated by bad nuts, which is another reason why you should buy unshelled nuts and shell them by hand. If you shell nuts by hand, you can easily see whether the nut contains a mold or not. Buying shelled nuts, the bad nuts have been removed but can already have contaminated the others with aflatoxins produced by the molds on the removed bad nut.
Furthermore, it is harder to detect whether the nut tastes bad if the nuts have been salted.
A small amount of aflatoxins from a single not-so-fresh nut is not
that big a problem, for nuts also contain ellagic acid, which inhibits the activation of aflatoxins by enzymes.
Phthalates
Shelled nuts can also contain phthalates, which can cause cancer.
The plastic package holding nuts for example (or canned peas, rice crackers, and baby food) contains phthalates to keep the plastic flexible - yet another reason to consume only raw nuts that you have shelled by hand (nutcracker).
Brazil nuts
Fresh Brazil nuts are supposed to be ivory white; if they've turned yellow - don't eat them. If you're not sure, take a little bite, and focus on the after-taste; you will definitely taste it if the nut is not good anymore.
You never feel like eating too many raw nuts at a time because they do not contain appetite-enhancing beta-carbolines and because they're so concentrated; fresh nuts hold (on the average) only 5% water. Fruits usually contain 80 to 90% water.
Consuming Brazil nuts protects the Brazilian, Bolivian, and Peruvian rainforests from being cut. It helps to increase the economic value of the Brazil nut evergreen trees - huge 30 to 50 meter high trees. Until now the demand for Brazil nuts is far lower than the forest offers, and the natives from the rain forests that gather those nuts are hardly paid - if at all. If Brazil nut prices would increase, more natives will protect their trees.
Brazil nuts contain high levels of vitamins the highest vitamin B1 content, for example. They also have a high mineral content, and the best quality protein of all foods.
Compared to other prepared nuts, prepared Brazil nuts are rather boring, but raw Brazil nuts taste better than other raw nuts, probably because Brazil nuts contain generous amounts of (healthy) fats (67%) and little fiber and tannins. Brazil nuts have a creamy coconut kind of taste.