Nuts and dried fruits have been identified as among the healthiest snacking foods there are in the world. In a time when people are over-indulging in sugar-rich and/or salty snack treats, finding a better way to enjoy something to eat between our main meals is important. Getting nuts is easy as finding a B2B nuts supplier with high quality products is a relatively simple matter. The other question, then, is when to enjoy nuts.
Morning Time
It may come as no surprise that breakfast time is the most beneficial time to enjoy nuts. They go wonderfully as a complement to regular and healthy breakfast food such as yoghurt, fresh fruit, oatmeal, granola or muesli. In some cases, you can just sprinkle the nuts right into your food — e.g., into oatmeal, granola or yoghurt — where they blend very well with what you’re eating. In other cases, you can enjoy the nuts as a lovely side dish.
One of the best nuts to enjoy in the morning is almonds. They’re rich in so many nutrients that help provide you with that burst of energy you need to start your day with a bang. They will also be a key factor in you being able to ward off fatigue as you start your workday, and they do it in a more nutritious way than stimulants like coffee will do.
Afternoon
Almonds and mixed nuts also make a great snack for the mid-afternoon, some time after you’ve had lunch but still a few hours before dinner time. You’ll likely still be in the office on many days at this time, so you can take mixed nuts to work with you, or keep them in a desk drawer or in a common storage space in your office if it’s allowed.
The key thing to avoid when trying to get the most of eating nuts is eating nuts that are roasted in oil, honey roasted, or covered in chocolate. These kinds of “confectionary” nuts are very tasty, but much of the nutritional value is cancelled out by all the additional sugar, fat and starch. The best kinds of nuts to enjoy in your mid-afternoon snack are natural and unroasted nuts.
Be sure to check the packaging and the ingredients to check for unhealthy signs like added sugar, excessive salting, or added preservatives and chemicals. The fewer ingredients there are, the more natural the nuts, and the more natural the nuts, the more nutritional value there is.
Evening
We’re often told to eat less in the evening. There’s old wisdom that tells us to “eat like a king” in the morning and “like a pauper” in the evening. Mixed nuts and dried fruit can be a great way to ensure that you don’t overeat at mealtimes, curbing the pangs of hunger and eating a light dinner accompanied by some enriching nuts.
Some of the best nuts to enjoy in the early evening include pistachios, pine nuts and cashews because they can have an immunity-boosting effect that does you a great service after a hard day at the office. Having said that, do be mindful not to eat cashews too late at night or close to your bedtime because they can disturb the harmony of your sleep.
Another good night-time nut is the walnut, which is high in fiber and will help keep your stomach and bowels in good balance in preparation for a night’s sleep and facing another day tomorrow. You might accompany walnuts with prunes and/or dates, which essentially have the same function.
In the course of a day, you should eat about a fist-full of nuts in total. Spread them out as we’ve advised above in your day and you’ll be helping to maximise the benefits.
