Current articles on plant-based eating tell us that nuts and seeds are part of a well rounded diet. Nuts can be an important source of amino acids that help make sure we get complete proteins. Of course not everyone is able to eat nuts for health reasons but generally they are a great addition to the diet.
Nuts are easy to store and carry in a backpack or briefcase. They’re quick and don’t require preparation so they are perfect for people on the go. Many international cuisines like Indian and Asian foods make good use of nuts.
Here is a reference chart that compares different nuts so that you can choose the ones that are right for you. This table uses information based on a serving size of 28 g of unsalted nuts and seeds which is roughly what we might call a handful.
| Peanuts | Almonds | Walnuts | Pecans | Pistachios | Cashews | Sunflower Seeds | Pumpkin Seeds | Macadamia | Brazil Nuts | |
| Calories | 161 | 164 | 185 | 196 | 158 | 165 | 190 | 148 | 204 | 186 |
| Total Fat (g) | 13.96 | 14.36 | 18.49 | 20.4 | 12.6 | 13.54 | 16 | 11.94 | 21.48 | 18.83 |
| Saturated Fat (g) | 1.94 | 1.1 | 1.74 | 1.75 | 1.42 | 2.40 | 2 | 2.26 | 3.42 | 4.29 |
| Trans Fat (g) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Polyunsaturated Fat (g) | 4.41 | 3.46 | 13.37 | 6.13 | 3.81 | 2.42 | 0 | 5.45 | .43 | 5.83 |
| Monounsaturated Fat (g) | 6.92 | 9.12 | 2.53 | 11.57 | 6.61 | 7.35 | 0 | 3.71 | 16.69 | 6.96 |
| Cholesterol (g) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sodium (mg) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Carbohydrates (g) | 4.57 | 5.6 | 3.89 | 3.93 | 7.93 | 8.55 | 8 | 3.81 | 3.92 | 3.48 |
| Dietary Fibre (g) | 2.4 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 2.9 | .9 | 4 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| Sugars (g) | 1.13 | 1.36 | .74 | 1.13 | 2.17 | 1.42 | 1 | .28 | 1.3 | .66 |
| Protein (g) | 7.31 | 6.03 | 4.32 | 2.6 | 5.84 | 4.77 | 6 | 9.35 | 2.24 | 4.06 |
| Vitamin D (mg) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calcium (mg) | 26 | 70 | 28 | 20 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 24 | 45 |
| Iron (mg) | 1.3 | 1.22 | .82 | .72 | 1.18 | 1.72 | 0 | 4.24 | 1.05 | .69 |
| Potassium (mg) | 200 | 206 | 125 | 116 | 291 | 179 | 200 | 229 | 104 | 187 |
| Vitamin A (mcg) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 0 | 0 | .4 | .3 | 1.4 | .1 | 0 | .5 | .3 | .2 |