Get the nutcracker out!
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At this time of year we see sacks of unshelled nuts appear in the stores. If you are a nut lover, then buying them still in their shells is the best way to avoid rancidity and toxins. Store nuts in the freezer to be safe. In TCM, nuts are a great food to eat in the cold winter months as they are considered warm or hot in properties. They are excellent for the kidneys, brain and heart. The most common ones are:
Walnuts
Beneficial to kidneys, good for memory, urinary frequency and coughs. Limit to less than one ounce daily (about 6 – 8 walnuts).
Chestnuts
Sweet and warm in properties, chestnuts are nourishing to kidneys, stomach and blood, and are helpful in treating osteoporosis, hypertension and coronary heart disease. Limit to a little over an ounce a day. and less if you are overweight.
Filberts/Hazelnuts
Harmonizing to the spleen, filberts are good in cases of fatigue, poor appetite, weakness after illness, and are beneficial for promoting strong bones and in the prevention of some cancers. Eat a little over an ounce a day.
Almonds
Traditionally used in TCM to detoxify lungs, treat phlegm, asthma and coughs, and chronic constipation in the elderly, almonds may also reduce the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. Highly valued in Ayurveda, it is advised not to eat the skin of almonds, which is said to cause irritation to the stomach lining. Also avoid blanching almonds in hot water. They are best soaked overnight with skins removed in the morning. Eat less than one ounce a day (about 8 – 10) as almonds are high in fat.
Peanuts
Not strictly a nut, peanuts are good for the blood, lungs, spleen and stomach. They can be nourishing to the skin. However, Ayurveda does not recommend peanuts because they are difficult to digest. Eat about an ounce a day and make sure they are organic as peanuts are often heavily sprayed with chemicals and are subject to a carcinogenic fungus.
Note: quantity of nuts given for daily allowance includes the shells.
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