Are Nuts Healthy? Which Types to Choose and How Much to Eat

Yes, unsalted nuts can be part of a healthy diet. They provide unsaturated fats, fiber, and protein. The current advice from Voedingscentrum, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, is for adults to eat 30 grams of unsalted nuts a day. Below, we explain which types to choose and how to make that portion work for you.

Perhaps you enjoy a handful with your coffee, sprinkle nuts over breakfast, or reach into a bag while working. It helps to understand what you are eating. How many calories do nuts contain? Are walnuts better than cashews? And do you actually need to soak them?

There is no convincing reason to name one type as the healthiest choice for everyone. Unsalted almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, and peanuts are all options. Vary your choices according to taste and how you plan to use them.

Walnuts contain relatively high amounts of ALA, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. That does not make other nuts inadequate. An unsalted mix can be convenient if you enjoy several varieties.

Choose almonds for a firm crunch, cashews for a milder flavor, or chopped walnuts for breakfast. There is no general reason to limit yourself to one or two varieties at a time.

For adults, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre currently recommends 30 grams of unsalted nuts a day. The Health Council of the Netherlands gives a range of 15–30 grams in its dietary guidelines. These recommendations do not contradict each other.

A handful is not an exact measurement. Weigh your usual portion once to see what it looks like in your bowl. You do not need to weigh every nut from then on.

You can also split the amount across your day: for example, 15 grams at breakfast and 15 grams later. If you eat peanut butter or another nut butter made from 100% peanuts or nuts, include it in your total.

Eating more does not automatically provide more health benefits. The current Dutch guidance also advises against regularly exceeding 30 grams a day for food safety and environmental reasons.

Nuts provide plenty of energy in a small amount. In the examples below, a 30-gram portion contains approximately 185–211 kcal. The exact value depends on the type and product.

Source: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s calorie checker for these four products. Values have been converted from the listed 25-gram portion to 30 grams and rounded. Check the label for your particular product.

Portion size makes a noticeable difference. Using the average for mixed nuts, 30 grams provides about 197 kcal and 60 grams about 394 kcal. This is a calculation, not a rule about what you are allowed to eat.

Yes. A food being high in calories does not mean you need to remove it from your diet when trying to lose weight.

A meta-analysis of 55 studies found that diets including nuts did not, on average, increase body weight, BMI, or waist circumference compared with the comparison groups. This does not mean you can add unlimited nuts without affecting your total energy intake. It does support including them within an appropriate overall diet.

Try this practical approach:

• Decide when you want to eat nuts, such as at breakfast or as a snack.
• Put your portion in a bowl so you know how much you have taken.
• Consider what they replace or how they fit alongside your other meals.
• Review your overall eating pattern if your progress stalls, rather than automatically removing one food.

For example, if you eat from a large bag every afternoon while working, portioning your nuts beforehand may help you make a more deliberate choice. That does not require a complicated meal plan.

Nuts contribute to your protein intake. The table also shows that a typical portion of these varieties provides around 5–6.5 grams of protein.

If you want more protein in a meal, continually increasing your nut portion is usually not the most practical main strategy: it also increases the fat and energy content. Combine a modest portion with quark or yogurt, or include nuts in a meal with tofu, legumes, eggs, or another protein source you enjoy.

A practical breakfast is a bowl of plain quark with fruit and some of your daily portion of chopped nuts. The nuts add flavor and texture; the rest of the meal matters too.

Read more about the roles of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in our guide to macronutrients.

The Netherlands Nutrition Centre currently favors unsalted, unroasted or lightly roasted nuts. More intense heating can increase the formation of unwanted substances, including acrylamide.

Unroasted nuts have not been roasted. Dry-roasted nuts are prepared using dry heat, while oil-roasted nuts are cooked in oil. Also check whether salt, sugar, or a coating has been added.

Use these three checks when shopping:

1. Which variety am I choosing? Prefer unroasted or lightly roasted nuts.
2. What is on the ingredients list? Check added ingredients and coatings.
3. How much do I want to use? Choose your portion independently of the package size.

No. Soaking is not a necessary step for including nuts in a healthy diet. The common claim that soaked nuts are automatically easier to digest goes beyond what the research shows.

In a randomized study, 76 participants ate different forms of almonds, including soaked and unsoaked varieties. Soaking did not improve gastrointestinal tolerance. The study also did not support a reduction in phytate content from the treatment.

This study examined almonds. It cannot establish what happens with every nut, preparation method, or individual digestive complaint. It does, however, give us reason not to recommend soaking as a standard health requirement.

Do you soak cashews for a sauce because it makes them easier to blend? That is a culinary use. It does not need a promised health benefit.

If you regularly experience digestive symptoms after eating, keep track of what and how much you eat and discuss persistent symptoms with your doctor or dietitian. If you have a diagnosed nut allergy, follow your individual medical advice; the general daily recommendation does not apply to you.

Brazil nuts contain a lot of selenium. The amount can vary, making them unsuitable as your standard choice for a daily 30-gram handful.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) identifies regular Brazil nut consumption as a situation in which people may exceed the upper intake level for selenium. Avoid eating a large portion every day to get extra minerals. Vary your choices with other nuts. A fixed promise that a certain number of Brazil nuts is always appropriate for everyone would overlook this variation.

Choose one approach that is easy to repeat:

• At breakfast: chop part of your portion and sprinkle it over oatmeal or quark.
• On the go: take a measured portion in a small container.
• At lunch: add some chopped nuts to a salad for crunch.
• At dinner: use part of your portion as a topping for vegetables or a rice dish.

These are alternatives. You do not need to add extra nuts at every meal. Choose what you enjoy and add up the amounts across your day.

Are Peanuts a Good Option Too?

Yes. Peanuts are botanically legumes, but they are included with nuts in Dutch dietary guidance. Choose an unsalted variety.

Does 100% Peanut Butter Count?

Yes. Peanut butter made from 100% peanuts counts toward your intake. Check the ingredients list and include the amount you use in your daily portion.

Do I Need to Choose the Lowest-Calorie Nut for Weight Loss?

No. In the table, the differences between equal portions are smaller than the difference between one portion and two. Choose a type you enjoy and consider the amount and your overall diet.

Should I Eat Nuts Immediately After Training?

You do not need to tie them to a specific training window. Eat them at a time that fits your meals, and consider the rest of your food intake. A handful of nuts alone is not a complete recovery meal.

Would you like to get stronger, lose weight, or bring more structure to your eating habits? At Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven, we help you explore how your nutrition and training can work together in practice.

We discuss your goals, current habits, and what you can maintain. From there, you can make choices that fit your daily life.

Explore our 90-Day Fitness Program for personal guidance with training and nutrition, or book a free consultation.

• Netherlands Nutrition Centre: nuts, varieties, and current guidance — in Dutch.
• Netherlands Nutrition Centre: recommended daily food amounts — in Dutch.
• Health Council of the Netherlands: Dietary Guidelines — Protein Sources and Dietary Patterns, 2025 — in Dutch.
• Guarneiri and Cooper: meta-analysis of nut consumption and body weight.
• Taylor and colleagues: soaked almonds and gastrointestinal tolerance.
• EFSA: dietary reference values and the upper intake level for selenium.
• Netherlands Nutrition Centre calorie checker: almonds, cashews, walnuts, and mixed nuts — in Dutch.