# How nutricious are nuts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469 "2002-04-19T05:14:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/1 "2002-04-19T05:14:07Z")
How nutricious are nuts? A simple answer would be based on the chemical analyis of fat and protein and carbohydrate content, and depending on the nut, there could be a very high fat content. That is not a good answer. What I would like to know is how much nutritive value is there in moderately masticated nuts. It’s pretty plain that nuts such as almonds don’t get dissolved away and digested inside you. Significant quantities are excreted. The question is how many absorbed calories do I get eating raw nuts such as almonds and cashews. What is the composition of those absrobed calories in terms of fat and protein and carbohydrate? Jezza ---
**Author:** ![cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/2 "2002-04-19T05:39:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jezzaOZ \* > \*\*It’s pretty plain that nuts such as almonds don’t get dissolved away and digested inside you. Significant quantities are excreted. > \*\* _They are_? I’ve never noticed that. But then again, I eat corn all the time and I have yet to see any butt-corn, so maybe I’m weird. The only part of the almond that is not digested is the fiber, which only amounts to about 10% by weight. Everything else (protein, fat, carbohydrate) should be fully absorbed. Here is a link to the nutritional information: [http://www.nutofthemonthclub.com/oct\_fact.htm](http://www.nutofthemonthclub.com/oct_fact.htm) ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/3 "2002-04-19T12:54:02Z")
No butt corn? You _are_ wierd. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/4 "2002-04-19T13:33:37Z")
“value is there in moderately masticated nuts.” As soon as a few more people chime in with actual scientific information, I can see this thread going to hell in a handbasket. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/5 "2002-04-19T13:45:59Z")
Consider water for a moment. It doesn’t have much nutritive value all by itself. Water doesn’t have any vitamins, no fat, no calories, etc. However, it is a very important part of a nutritious diet. Think about nuts in the same way, they’re an important part of a nutritious diet. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/6 "2002-04-19T14:30:32Z")
But **Monty** , nuts do have vitamins, fat, calories, carbohydrates, and protein. They even have water. Water is an important part of a nutritious diet in the same way that air is part of a nutritious diet. There’s no point in nutrition of you don’t have air and water. But neither air nor water are nutritious. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/7 "2002-04-19T14:47:58Z")
According an Army survival manual I was reading one day (don’t ask) Almonds are so nutritious that you can survive on just them (and water) for several months without significant ill effect Check out almond Nutrition facts: [http://www.nutofthemonthclub.com/oct\_fact.htm](http://www.nutofthemonthclub.com/oct_fact.htm) They have quite a bit of Calcium and Iron, 7g of protein. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-nutricious-are-nuts/104469/8 "2002-04-19T15:07:16Z")
Water is nutritious. It just doesn’t have all those vitamins and such in it. I’m aware that nuts have fat, water, oils, etc. in them. My point is that the nut isn’t the “perfect nutritious” food, but rather an important part of a balanced diet. And, since I’ve been a vegetarian for about a year now, they’re a very important part of my nutritious diet.