Although nuts and seeds are high in energy and fats, eating nuts is not connected with weight gain. In fact, based on large population studies, higher nut intake has been associated with lower body weight.

When included as part of a weight-loss diet, nuts have been shown to enhance weight loss and fat loss in the abdominal region.

Lower fat in the abdominal region means lower risk for chronic diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes). Therefore, nuts should be part of a healthy diet.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend 30 grams of nuts on most days of the week.

Nuts help with weight management through:

Lower than expected fat absorption – fats in nuts are not fully digested and absorbed by the body. When less fats are absorbed it means that less energy from nuts is absorbed too.

Hunger and fullness – nuts help to suppress our hunger. As a result, food intake is reduced to compensate for the energy from nuts. This effect is due to the protein, fat, and fibre content of nuts.

The effect of seeds on body weight has not been researched extensively but is likely to be similar to nuts as they are also high in protein, healthy fat and fibre.