A recent study suggests unwanted quarantine kilos are a reality for many Australians.

The CSIRO survey, of almost 4,000 people, revealed 40 per cent felt they had put on weight during lockdown (1). And of those who said they’d gained weight, 61 per cent put it down to eating more ‘junk food’ and two-thirds (63%) reported an increase in snacking.

Yes, COVID-19 has upended routines, but for people looking tackle quarantine kilos, it’s never too late to (re)adopt healthy habits.

But where does this leave nuts?

Research has linked nut consumption with a host of health benefits, including heart and brain health, and a reduced risk of diabetes and cancer. Despite this, many of us still perceive nuts as a ‘no go’ when it comes to managing our weight.

In fact, the number one (health) reason why Australians don’t eat enough nuts is because they believe nuts are ‘fattening’.

Did you know? Overall, Australians need to consume more than six times as many nuts as they currently eat to meet population health recommendations (2).

Yes, nuts contain fat. But they have a high proportion of healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, and very little saturated fats. Like avocado and oily fish, nuts are a healthy higher-fat food. Thankfully, we’ve moved on from the fat-phobic 80s and 90s – and there’s good reasons why.

Decades of research tells us that regular nut consumption does not lead to weight gain. In fact, eating nuts regularly actually reduces the chance of being overweight (3).  

Hundreds of studies have looked at the effects of eating nuts on body weight, including one paper which looked at more than 60 studies, and found that a diet enriched with nuts reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference, compared to people who did not eat nuts (3).

How do nuts help manage weight?

• The winning combination of protein and fibre in nuts helps satisfy hunger and reduce appetite (4,5,6). Plus, healthy fats in nuts release satiety hormones (cholecystokinin and peptide YY), in the digestive system which tell us when we’re full (7,8).

Did you know? A study found nut eaters ate significantly less energy at their next meal – up to as much energy (or kilojoules) as the nuts themselves provided! – which may be due to the abundance of healthy fats, protein and fibre in nuts (9,10).

• Nuts lower the glycaemic index of other food. When eaten with carbohydrate-containing foods, nuts slow the digestion of a meal, resulting in a slower rise in blood glucose levels. This makes us feel fuller for longer.

• The healthy fats in nuts reduce insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin influences fat storage, and insulin resistance can lead to weight gain.

• The energy from nuts is not well absorbed. Studies suggest the fibrous cell walls in nuts stop our bodies absorbing up to 15 per cent of the energy (or kilojoules) in nuts (11-13). Instead, this is excreted.   

Fast fact: Regularly eating nuts can boost the body’s resting metabolic rate by up to 10 per cent (14).

Research has shown that weight management diets that include nuts are more palatable and enjoyable, so are easier to stick with for longer – meaning greater success.

Did you know? The metabolisable energy available from nuts has been estimated to be up to 30 per cent lower than that calculated by Atwater factors (the system commonly used for calculating energy, or kilojoule, values).

The bottom line

While unwanted quarantine kilos are a reality for many Australians, it’s never too late to (re)adopt healthy habits. And a 30g serve (a handful) of nuts a day can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, varied diet – without impacting weight.