9 Healthy Nuts For Every Need + How To Eat More Of Them

Whether sprinkled into salads or added to your favorite trail mix, the healthiest nuts add a significant amount of texture, flavor, and, most importantly, nutritional value to meals and snacks. But which are the healthiest nuts you can eat, and how do their nutritional benefits compare?

However, because each nut offers a different set of nutritional values, Feller tells mbg that the nut that is best for you whittles down to your health needs, likes, and dislikes.

"Nuts are a wonderful source of plant-based proteins, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Each contains carrying amounts of these nutrients," Feller says, adding, "[but] I wouldn't say one is more healthy than another. I would rather encourage people to find nuts that they enjoy and incorporate them into their eating pattern." 

Depending on your health goals, the nutritional profile of some nuts may be more beneficial than others.

For anyone struggling with skin ailments or traumas, like uneven pigmentation, Michalczyk says you might want to add a handful of almonds1 to your snacking rotation.

"[Almonds] are the nut with the most vitamin E, an antioxidant which supports skin health by protecting skin cells from the damaging effects of free radicals caused by pollution, UV rays, cigarette smoke, and other factors," says Michalczyk, and there's research to back this up.

For example, a 2019 study2 published in the journal Phytother Research found wrinkle severity reduced when a randomized control trial of 50 postmenopausal women consume 20% of their daily calories in almonds for 16 weeks.

Aside from being delicious, research shows that peanuts3 (technically not nuts but rather the edible seeds of a legume) contain a slew of health benefits.

For instance, according to a 2022 randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis4, consuming 25 grams (a little under an ounce) of peanuts every day could help reduce cholesterol levels, thanks to the superfood's healthy amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

And, in addition to its cardiac benefits, research suggests that the bioactive compounds in peanuts can help reduce stress levels, as well as improve memory.

Cashews5 have a creamy decadence that comes through whether you're snacking on them raw or in butter form. And if you think these morsels are rich in flavor, they're equally rich in nutrients.

Aside from their being loaded with magnesium, which supports muscle relaxation, nerve function, and energy production, plus iron, which is great for the immune system, studies6 show that cashews can help reduce cholesterol levels and therefore keep blood pressure levels stable as well.

Pistachios are crowd-pleasers, with their smooth texture and sweet flavor profile, but they also come highly recommended by experts.

This is because pistachios are a "complete" plant-based protein source, meaning they have "the full amino acid profile and supply 6 g of plant-based protein7 per serving," Feller explains.

Pistachios are also a good source of fiber and a great source of healthy fats, making them a satiating snack if you're on the go or in need of a quick energy boost.

It's kind of ironic that walnuts are shaped like a brain because these nuts are stellar for your noggin. A 20208 review of both human and animal data published in the journal Nutrients noted that walnuts' strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may play a role in protecting the brain against cognitive decline.

Walnuts are also rich in alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, which professor and director of the master in nutrition and dietetics program at Virginia Tech Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D., R.D., previously told mbg is associated with helping prevent cognitive decline9.

Owner of Nutrition con Sabor Krista Linares, R.D., previously told mbg that compared to other nuts, pecans10 are especially high in antioxidants and that a diet high in antioxidants "can help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, as well as help prevent and repair cellular damage that can lead to signs of aging."

One 2018 study11 published in the journal Nutrients also found that a pecan-rich diet helped lower the risk of cardiometabolic disease in healthy middle-aged and older adults who were overweight or obese.

While macadamia nuts12 are high in fat, don't let that deter you from picking up a pack to snack on. Roughly 80% of the fat in macadamia nuts is monounsaturated fat, a healthy fat that's known to lower cholesterol.

Macadamia nuts are also the nut with the lowest amount of carbohydrates, which Ella Davar, R.D., CDN, CHC, says, makes it "a preferable snack for those trying to achieve ketosis and following a keto diet."

Even if you've never snacked on a Brazil nut13, we can almost guarantee you could pick one out of a lineup. These spherical pods are big, measuring anywhere from 3 to 7 inches in diameter. So while a 1-ounce serving of, say, pistachios translates to about 30 nuts, a 1-ounce serving of Brazil nuts is maybe six medium-sized nuts.

But beyond their size, Brazil nuts' claim to fame is their selenium content. Selenium is an essential trace element that encourages hormone balance, specifically that of the thyroid14.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services15 recommends the average adult consume 55 micrograms of selenium per day; one Brazil nut contains 90 micrograms, which is why Katie Lemons, the functional medicine expert behind the Twist of Lemon, previously told mbg she recommends eating one to two Brazil nuts every day as a whole food selenium supplement.

Hazelnuts not only make for a tasty snack but also pack a punch when it comes to health benefits. They're a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals16.

The daily recommendation for these delightful nuts hovers around 1-2 ounces, offering an array of advantages.

They're considered one of the healthiest nuts due to their ability to lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, and support weight management. 

Beyond their tendency to level up your vitality17, nuts are a nutritionally dense food loaded with macro- and micronutrients, as well as vitamins and minerals.

In conversation with mbg, Maya Feller, M.S., R.D., CDN, explains that nuts are loaded with plant-based forms of heart-healthy fats, including both saturated and unsaturated fats.