Avoiding nuts and seeds for better gut health? You shouldn ’t

Nuts and seeds are important components of a healthy diet. But if you have diverticula — little pouchlike structures that sometimes form in the muscular wall of the colon and bulge outward — you may worry about nuts or seeds getting stuck in those little pockets, which can cause a painful infection called diverticulitis. Take heart. While it was once believed that nut and seed consumption could lead to diverticulitis, the link is unproven. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Nuts and seeds are rich in fiber, which is important for gut health and keeping you regular. How much fiber do you need daily? If you’re over 50, the Institute of Medicine recommends 21 grams per day for women and 30 grams per day for men. Between ages 19 and 50, women should aim for 25 grams of fiber daily and men should aim for 38 grams. Eating nuts and seeds can help you reach those goals while also providing other benefits. What’s in a nut? Nuts are flavorful little packages of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, and other nutrients. For example, peanuts and pecans contain lots of B vitamins; almonds are rich in calcium and vitamin E; walnuts have lots of folate, vitamin E, and alpha-linoleic acid (ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid). And all nuts have magnesium. “In just a handful of nuts, which is about an ounce or a quarter of a cup, you get a lot of bang for the buck. They contain anywhere from 3 to 7 grams of protein per ounce, 1 to 3 grams of fiber, and 160 to 200 calories,” says regi...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Digestive Disorders Healthy Aging Healthy Eating Nutrition Source Type: blogs