Grocery Store Series: Nuts, Seeds, Nut Butter & Trail Mix

Grocery Series: Nuts, Seeds, Nut Butters, and Trail Mix

Nut products are generally a healthy pick for a snack, but like other healthy foods, it is not always as good as you may think. Seasonings and additives can make a healthy nut or seed extra high in sugar or salt. Reading your labels is the best way to determine if your nut mix or nut butter is a truly healthy pick.

When choosing nuts or seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds, the simpler the better. You want to look for unsalted nuts and seeds. Flavorings are ok, but generally they are loaded with sodium. Look at the sodium content and ingredients list to be sure your nuts or seeds are salt-free or at least reduced salt. Also be careful of sweeter flavorings like cocoa, BBQ, and honey roasted. These can have loads of added sugar which add more calories. Stay away from these flavorings to cut back on added sugar intake. Generally, all nuts and seeds are healthy. While some may have more healthy omega-3’s than other nuts (like walnuts), they all have their own unique nutritional value. Eat a variety of nuts and seeds to reap the benefits.

Trail mix is another healthy nut-based snack, but not all trail mix is healthy. Trail mix was created to fuel long hikes without having to carry a ton of food. Therefore, it is very energy dense (aka high calorie). It can be a great snack on the run, but be careful of portion size. Also, pay attention to what is in the trail mix. There are tons of different mixes available in the stores. Just like nuts, the simpler the mix, the better. Avoid mixes that have sugary items like chocolate, M&Ms, yogurt covered foods, or lots of dried fruits. The amount of added sugars and calories from these outweighs the healthy benefits of the nuts and seeds. Also watch out for flavored mix like Cajun which will be loaded with salt. The best trail mixes are the ones that are mostly nuts, seeds, and a little bit of dried fruit. No flavorings or additives.

Nut and seed butters can make a great snack or topping on your whole grain toast. They are filled with healthy fats and a good amount of protein to keep you satisfied during the day. But some nut butters are not as simple as you think. Many common brands of peanut butters can have partially hydrogenated oils (which means trans fat), highly processed oils, loads of salt, and tons of sugar. All of those added into your healthy peanut butter make it about as nutritious as a Reese’s candy bar. Take a look at your ingredients list when looking for nut and seed butters. The only ingredient on the label should be the actual nut or seed. It doesn’t need to have all the extra oil, salt, and sugar.

Nuts and seeds should be a part of your healthy diet daily. Be a smart consumer and start reading your labels to be sure that the product is actually healthy. And of course, watch out for portion size on all nut and seed products. They are a healthy fat, but they also come with a high amount of calories. Stick to about ¼ cup of nuts, seeds or trail mix, and 2 Tbs. of any nut or seed butters.