3rd Hour Meal

3rd Hour Meal 

A very small portion of nuts, protein dominate food (PDF), fresh fruit, and water.

Nuts are edible, high-fat seed kernels enclosed by a hard shell. They’re widely eaten as a snack food or used in cooking.

Nuts are highly nutritious. One ounce (28 grams) of mixed nuts contains:

  • Calories: 173
  • Protein: 5 grams
  • Fat: 16 grams, including 9 grams of monounsaturated fat
  • Carbs: 6 grams
  • Fiber: 3 grams
  • Vitamin E: 12% of the RDI
  • Magnesium: 16% of the RDI
  • Phosphorus: 13% of the RDI
  • Copper: 23% of the RDI
  • Manganese: 26% of the RDI
  • Selenium: 56% of the RDI

Some nuts are higher in certain nutrients than others. For instance, just one Brazil nut provides more than 100% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for selenium (2).

The carb content of nuts is highly variable. Hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts have fewer than 2 grams of digestible carbs per serving, while cashews have almost 8 digestible carbs per serving.

That being said, nuts are generally an excellent food to eat on a low-carb diet.

Nuts are antioxidant powerhouses.

Antioxidants, including the polyphenols in nuts, can combat oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals — unstable molecules that may cause cell damage and increase disease risk (3Trusted Source).

One study found that walnuts have a greater capacity to fight free radicals than fish (4Trusted Source).

Research shows that the antioxidants in walnuts and almonds can protect the delicate fats in your cells from being damaged by oxidation (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

In one study in 13 people, eating walnuts or almonds increased polyphenol levels and significantly reduced oxidative damage, compared to a control meal (7Trusted Source).

Another study found that 2–8 hours after consuming whole pecans, participants experienced a 26–33% drop in their levels of oxidized “bad” LDL cholesterol — a major risk factor for heart disease (8Trusted Source).

However, studies in older people and individuals with metabolic syndrome found that walnuts and cashews didn’t have a big impact on antioxidant capacity, though some other markers improved (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Nuts contain antioxidants known as polyphenols, which may protect your cells and “bad” LDL cholesterol from damage caused by free radicals.