Fruits and nuts are something that should be on the daily menu for almost all of us, whether they are actual snacks or not, except for people who are allergic to a particular food or find it bloating (soaking nuts and seeds can be a potential way to better digest them if that’s the issue).
Although you can’t go wrong with fruit, you should definitely be mindful of the amount you consume, mainly because of the calories and fructose that goes directly to the liver, something people usually don’t associate when ‘eating something healthy.’ The same thought is even more emphasized if you consume most of your fruit in liquid form through smoothies, where, unlike chewing, you lose most of its fiber and up the sugar, whose digestion those same fibers slow down a bit. Drinking the juice of five oranges or apples is much easier than eating them! Speaking of smoothies, frozen fruit is, in most cases, nutritionally same or similar to fresh one, making it an excellent choice, especially in winter months when there is a less amount of fresh in-season produce available.
As for nuts and seeds, this group of foods also contains a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, regardless of what certain lists might suggest, they do not represent an adequate source of protein but healthy fats. Therefore, they should be treated as such, especially if you’re watching your weight and/or caloric intake.
Original release date: April 17, 2022.