Protein, Vitamins, Minerals and Fiber
The nuts contain a significant proportion of protein, which ranges from 19% of the almonds and pine nuts 14%, with high levels of arginine and a relatively low proportion of lysine.
The high arginine content, most notably in nuts, is a positive factor given the role of this amino acid in the formation of nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator also capable of reducing the adhesion and aggregation of platelets on vascular endothelium.
They also provide a significant amount of vitamins, especially B group, most notably folate. Hazelnuts and walnuts are the nuts that show increased folic acid content, followed by pine nuts, pistachios and almonds, it should be noted that folic acid daily requirement for an adult, are the order of 400 ug.
Fiber
The remarkable fiber content of nuts adds a special significance to this type of food given the numerous effects that compounds in this group of substances exert on the gastrointestinal system and other metabolic processes.
Thus, the fiber helps to maintain the feeling of satiety for a longer time, determines that glucose and fatty acids are less rapidly absorbed through the lining of the small intestine (thus cushioning the impact of metabolic), reduce the rate and the degree of cholesterol absorption, are the bedrock from which they arise, in the large intestine, a number of substances that give greater vitality and resistance to intestinal mucosal cells against the action of compounds that promote the development Tumor; help regulate intestinal transit and stool volume.