The use of walnuts for weight loss: is it possible to eat and how much

To maintain good physical shape, correct weight or cleanse the body, high-calorie foods are removed from the diet: fatty, fried, flour, sweet, fast food. It would seem that walnuts should also be included in this list because of their nutritional value. However, some diet programs contain walnuts on the menu. Moderate consumption of kernels will bring health benefits without harming the figure; the main thing is to ensure a negative energy balance in the body.

Is it possible to eat walnuts while losing weight

It is difficult to imagine walnuts as the main component of the diet, because they are nutritious, high in calories and take a long time to digest.... But thanks to these properties, they help with the diet.

Walnuts are even beneficial for losing weight in moderation. They serve as an additional source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, healthy fats, which are important for the maintenance of vital processes and well-being. Losing weight on nuts is not accompanied by a feeling of hunger, as they provide quick and long-term satiation, fill the body with energy.

Calorie content and beneficial properties for weight loss

Of all types of walnuts, walnuts are the most nutritious - 640 kcal per 100 g. The content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates looks like this: 15.23 g, 65.21 g, 7.01 g, respectively. But it is the walnut kernels that have the richest set of nutrients, including:

• vitamins A, C, E, K, PP, beta-carotene, group B (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9);
• macronutrients: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus;
• trace elements: iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc;
• sterols;
• omega-3 and omega-6;
• fatty acids: arachidic, stearic, linoleic, palmitic, gadoleic.

Despite the high calorie content, the glycemic index of the product is low - 15 units. This means that glucose enters the bloodstream gradually, the pancreas is not overloaded, energy is spent evenly, which prevents the accumulation of fatty deposits.

Walnut is prized for weight loss due to its high omega-3 content. This polyunsaturated fatty acid activates metabolism, accelerates the breakdown of fats, and reduces the content of bad cholesterol in the blood.

The benefits of omega-3 for the body are not limited to this. Its functions are diverse:

• normalizes the work of the cardiovascular system;
• improves vascular tone;
• stimulates the functions of the immune system;
• stabilizes blood pressure;
• accelerates the regeneration of tissues and mucous membranes;
• slows down the aging process;
• inhibits inflammation;
• maintains healthy skin.

The nuclei saturate the body with protein, which carries out metabolic processes, binds toxins and removes them from the body, strengthens the immune system, and serves as a source of energy.

The cores contain dietary fiber. They gently cleanse the intestines, stimulate its work, reduce the absorption of harmful substances, regulate metabolism, and normalize blood glucose levels.

For reference. Dietary fibers are not digested and, swelling under the action of gastric juice, occupy free space, thereby providing a long-lasting feeling of satiety and refusal of additional snacks.

Walnut polyphenols have diuretic and choleretic properties, thereby reducing excess fluid in the body and relieving swelling. Vitamins C and E, which are responsible for endurance and performance, stimulate physical activity, which leads to additional burning of calories. Vitamins of group B have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, reduce the effects of stress, making it easier to tolerate a diet, and normalize a night's sleep.

The organic acids in the nut kernels contribute to weight loss. They regulate lipid metabolism, improve digestion, maintain normal microflora in the intestines, restore the balance of microorganisms, and prevent the development of dysbiosis, which is important for weight loss. It is the violation of the intestinal microflora that contributes to many diseases of the digestive system and obesity.

Walnut Diet

There are several ways to lose weight with walnuts: fasting day, strict mono-diet and balanced with the addition of other foods.

One day fasting day

The daily diet consists of 150-200 g of any nuts, including walnuts, and an abundant drinking regime (at least 2 liters of water). The kernels are consumed fresh, fried without adding salt, sugar and spices. After a fasting day, it is important to switch to your usual diet gradually, not to overeat. This diet option allows you to control weight and get in shape after a period of overeating.

On average, you can get rid of 1-1.5 kg per day. Losing weight is mainly due to the removal of excess fluid. Due to the low calorie content, nutritionists recommend unloading no more than once every 2-3 weeks.

Strict mono diet

The basis of the diet is walnuts and a lot of liquid. It can be green tea without sugar, herbal teas, at least 2 liters of still mineral water. Typically, the diet lasts no more than 2-3 days. During this time, you can lose weight by 2-3 kg, cleanse the intestines, and change eating habits.

According to nutritionists, this is not the safest option for body shaping for health. The fact is that the deficiency of micro- and macronutrients badly affects the general state of health. A more optimal choice is a one-day fasting day once a month.

Sparing diet

It takes 3, 5 or 10 days. Every day, you can eat 50 g of walnuts and other products from the list of permitted ones (about it - below).

Depending on the precise implementation of the chosen diet plan, metabolism and duration, you can lose 3-7 kg, when physical activity is connected - 8-10 kg. The drinking regimen is also important - 2 liters or more of liquid per day.

Basic rules for losing weight with walnuts

For safe weight loss, it is important to have all components in the diet - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals - and their quantitative ratio. So, the basis of the fatty component should be vegetable fats, the source of which are walnuts. Due to their high calorie content, they are consumed in limited quantities and combined with low-calorie foods.

Allowed Products:

• dried fruits: prunes, dried apricots, figs, dried apples, dates, raisins;
• nuts: pistachios, pine nuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, brazilian, forest;
• low-fat dairy and fermented milk products: yogurt without sugar and additives, kefir, cottage cheese, cheeses;
• lean porridge;
• fresh vegetables and fruits (other than bananas and grapes);
• garden greens;
• lean meat, poultry and fish;
• freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices.

Fully or partially limited products:

• smoked meats;
• animal and cooking oil;
• semi-finished products;
• spices, high-calorie sauces, mayonnaise;
• fatty meat and poultry, lard, offal;
• dough products, sugar, jam, chocolate;
• high-fat dairy products;
• flour and pasta from white wheat varieties;
• alcohol, beer;
• sweet carbonated drinks, store juices.

It is important for the diet to use only quality nuts. When buying at the market, store or supermarket, pay attention to their appearance. The shell of proper quality has a uniform light brown color, without traces of damage, stains and foreign odors. The edible kernel is strong, firm, light yellow to brown in color.

Nutritionists recommend buying fresh nuts, not fried and even less salted, since salt retains fluid in the body, provoking edema. If you really want to, you can fry them at home in a dry frying pan for five minutes without salt and spices.

Important! Fresh kernels are most beneficial for health and weight loss, since during the heat treatment the content of valuable substances decreases, and the addition of salt or sugar can cause excess weight.

A prerequisite for the diet is sufficient fluid intake, at least 2 liters per day. In addition to drinking water, you can green tea without sugar, decoctions of herbs and rose hips, still mineral water.

Fractional meals - 4-6 times a day in small portions. To increase the effectiveness of weight loss, it is advisable to prepare the body. 4-6 days before starting a diet, exclude or limit alcohol, smoked meats, fried and fatty foods, bakery and confectionery products, pickles, oils and fats.

The correct way out of the diet is equally important. To prevent the lost kilograms from returning, you must adhere to general recommendations:

1. Previously prohibited foods should be introduced into the diet gradually, in small portions and one per day.
2. If possible, limit fried foods, fatty foods, flour, smoked foods, white bread, confectionery and pastries, sugary carbonated drinks, alcohol in the diet.
3. Choose gentle methods of thermal processing of products - do not fry.
4. When preparing any dish, try to make it less high in calories. For example, vegetables, fish, meat, and poultry can be baked, boiled, or steamed instead of frying in vegetable oil.
5. Constantly monitor your weight.
6. Enter a food diary and not exceed the permissible energy value of the daily diet (more on this below).
7. Drink from 1.5 to 3 liters of water per day.

The duration of withdrawal from the nut diet should be at least the duration of the selected dietary regimen. In order to avoid undesirable effects during weight loss associated with a deficiency of micro- and macronutrients, nutritionists recommend taking additional multivitamins.

Diet and rules of use

Losing weight is achieved through a negative energy balance. If energy is consumed more than it is supplied with food, the body begins to spend its fat reserves, and body weight decreases. The average calorie content of the daily diet for women with weight loss is 1200-1400 kcal, for men - 1600-1800 kcal. Knowing your calorie intake and the energy value of food, you can create a menu for the day.

The menu depends on gastronomic preferences, financial possibilities and the duration of the regime. If you follow the diet for 1-5 days, meat can be replaced with a handful of nuts. If you aim to follow the dietary regime for a longer time, it is advisable to include lean meat, poultry, fish in the diet. For weight loss, nuts are used as an independent dish for breakfast or lunch, as a snack, or added to fruit and vegetable salads, meat and fish dishes.

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Sample menu for three days

First day:

1. Breakfast: salad of baked pumpkin, fresh carrots, crushed walnuts with lemon juice.
2. Lunch: a serving of vegetable soup, a handful of nuts.
3. Dinner: steamed low-fat fish, green tea without sugar.

Second day:

1. Breakfast: a handful of nuts, kefir, unsweetened croutons.
2. Lunch: vegetarian soup, vegetable salad with fresh tomato and cucumber.
3. Dinner: baked apples with cottage cheese, rosehip decoction.

The third day:

1. Breakfast: 50 g of nuts, 2 boiled eggs, unsweetened green tea.
2. Lunch: boiled beef with baked vegetables, freshly prepared orange juice.
3. Dinner: a portion of steamed buckwheat, herbal decoction.

The nut diet can be practiced by absolutely healthy people in the absence of pathologies, especially from the gastrointestinal tract, and allergies to this product. It is not recommended to follow a strict mono-diet for longer than three days, since unbalanced nutrition and nutritional deficiencies can worsen overall health and provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Attention! Losing weight on walnuts is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, and people of advanced age.

Conclusion

Despite the high calorie content in moderation, walnuts are effective in dieting. They help cleanse the intestines, stimulate metabolism, accelerate the breakdown of fats, which is necessary for weight loss.

When following a diet, it is not necessary to completely refuse food. There is a variety of regimens, so everyone can choose the best option for themselves in terms of duration and diet, taking into account the desired results. The main thing is to correctly calculate calories and not exceed the daily energy value of the diet - 1200 kcal for women and 1600 kcal for men.