# Nuts!



## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

@Anitram in another thread mentioned nuts and toothache. Martin, I may have done the same thing. I’ve recently taken to snacking on nuts. Lidl has a good selection of nuts and I especially like the Brazil nuts. But I’m also mildly addicted to KP salted peanuts in their new resealable packet. I was out of KPs and was passing a Pound Shop on Saturday so bought a pack of no brand salted peanuts. What could go wrong? A peanut is a peanut Is a peanut.

We know that with wine a grape isn’t just a grape. We know with coffee that a bean isn’t just a bean. And I now know that a peanut isn’t just a peanut. I had a handful and threw the rest of the packet away. 

What are your favourite nuts, folks?


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## Drummer (Feb 22, 2021)

I get nuts from Grapetree when they let us know there is an offer on - I have never found a bad one, they are really fresh and tasty.
In these times there is the added advantage of being delivered very efficiently.


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## Kaylz (Feb 22, 2021)

I rarely eat nuts these days but cashews and pecans had to be my 2 favourites xx


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## Inka (Feb 22, 2021)

I love nuts! I like them all really, but walnuts always make me a bit nervous as the bad ones are seriously disgusting!

My favourite nuts are brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and chestnuts. I also like nut butters.


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## Drummer (Feb 22, 2021)

Check the carb content though as quite a few things called nuts are not, botanically, nuts - the joys of having a B.Sc.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

Drummer said:


> Check the carb content though as quite a few things called nuts are not, botanically, nuts - the joys of having a B.Sc.


I didn’t know that, but habitually I check carbs on all labels now.


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## Billy Bob (Feb 22, 2021)

Drummer said:


> I get nuts from Grapetree when they let us know there is an offer on - I have never found a bad one, they are really fresh and tasty.
> In these times there is the added advantage of being delivered very efficiently.


We get ours from grape tree and sun dried tomatoes which are great for use in loads of dishes


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## nonethewiser (Feb 22, 2021)

HenryBennett said:


> I had a handful and threw the rest of the packet away.



KP are best, salt n vinegar ones especially delicious, fav is cashew.


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## Leadinglights (Feb 22, 2021)

Yes. I can't quite understand why people can have severe allergic reaction to peanuts which are legumes yet be fine with peas and beans also legumes. Grape tree also a favourite place for nuts etc. I was so pleased that they set up after the demise of Julian Graves, the same people as I understand it.


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## freesia (Feb 22, 2021)

KP salted peanuts with a glass of chilled white wine.
Walnuts with greek yoghurt.
Almonds any othee time.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

Anitram said:


> I sometimes mix chopped walnut pieces with strawberries and Greek yogurt as a dessert but for a snack I'll grab a pack of Graze (Chilli & Lime flavour) or a Dk Chocolate & Sea Salt Nut bar. Stopped grabbing a handful of cashews a while back as gram for gram they have a lot more carbs than other nuts.
> 
> I've left the nuts alone today as I don't want to risk absent-mindedly biting down with my loose crown, and tea tonight was a Tuna & Pasta Bake as it didn't involve much chewing.


Some good ideas there, thanks.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

freesia said:


> KP salted peanuts with a glass of chilled white wine.
> Walnuts with greek yoghurt.
> Almonds any othee time.


Sounds good. I’m very fond of crémant at the moment. I collect Nectar points and use them at Sainsbury’s when they have 25% off on six bottles.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

I’d not heard of Grapetree so will check them out.


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## freesia (Feb 22, 2021)

HenryBennett said:


> Sounds good. I’m very fond of crémant at the moment. I collect Nectar points and use them at Sainsbury’s when they have 25% off on six bottles.


Needs to be a Sauvignon Blanc for me with stuffed green olives if i have no nuts


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## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

freesia said:


> Needs to be a Sauvignon Blanc for me with stuffed green olives if i have no nuts


Yes to olives too. Kalamatas for me, though I love a good quality stuffed green too.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 22, 2021)

Does anyone else like pickled walnuts? I love ‘em.


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## Eddy Edson (Feb 23, 2021)

Nuts are triffic. But I avoid peanuts these days - lots of saturated fat, and they had a surprisingly big impact on my LDL level when I was using them as a calorie & protein "gap filler". And no salted nuts for me - bad for the BP.

(Yes, saturated fat does increase LDL levels, and increasing LDL levels does increase CV risk.)

(I appreciate that many would not classify peanuts as nuts, but this kind of thing always reminds me of the time my niece asked me why dolphins aren't fish: they have fins, they live in the water ... The category "fish" isn't something which actually exists; it's something we create, and if you want to use having fins and hanging out in the water as the definition, nobody can say you're "wrong". Similarly, if you want to use "food stuff sold by nut vendor" as the definition of "nut".)


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## Catherine Lindsay (Feb 23, 2021)

Can we eat nuts just willy and indeed nilly? I'm finding that I'm getting a bit snack/food phobic. I'm doing well on my main meals but for snacks I'm stressing over cos I don't know if I'm ment to include them in my carbs count or not. Usually I snack on peppers, cheese, cucumber, tomatoes and small amounts of fruit. Nuts are morish so if I'm going to go down the nutty route should I weigh out little bags of them???? Think I'm going nuts


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## HenryBennett (Feb 23, 2021)

Good points raised by @Eddy Edson and @Catherine Lindsay.

There are a number of things we each have to balance to remain healthy, especially as we get older, and made especially difficult if we have full time, sedentary jobs.

Should we count the carbs in snacks? In theory, yes. But with a comprehensive food diary I don’t often actually add up the carbs in a day. I rely now on what I know from my food diary and regular testing with my trusty meter.

Until very recently I’d completely eliminated snacks and need to address this latest mild addiction to KP peanuts. My weight is drifting in the wrong direction too and I’m addressing that.


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## Annette&Bertie (Feb 23, 2021)

I only eat natural nuts instead of salted.   Pecan, macadamia, cashew, walnuts, brazil nuts.   I buy them individually, and do my own mix.   I don’t buy mixed nuts because they invariably contain almonds and often pistashio, both of which I dislike.   I find that when I get bored at night, I have to chomp on something for my sanity.   My other go to is crackers with different cheeses of which I am a huge fan.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 23, 2021)

Annette&Bertie said:


> I only eat natural nuts instead of salted.   Pecan, macadamia, cashew, walnuts, brazil nuts.   I buy them individually, and do my own mix.   I don’t buy mixed nuts because they invariably contain almonds and often pistashio, both of which I dislike.   I find that when I get bored at night, I have to chomp on something for my sanity.   My other go to is crackers with different cheeses of which I am a huge fan.


Snap to all of that. I’ve tried mixed nuts and also fruit & nuts and don’t really like either.

I was very good last year but weakened over Christmas and haven’t totally clambered back on to the waggon. I’ve given up crisps and potato based snacks all together - I’ve not eaten a single crisp since being in hospital a year ago. It’s only this last couple of weeks that I started on salted peanuts but need to stop. The only way for me to stop snacking is simply not to have any in the house. I’ve stopped buying crackers. I clearly need to call on my willpower again.


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## danielmg (Feb 23, 2021)

I enjoy having a portion of mixed nuts (i.e. cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts) with some low carb flavoured yoghurt. A lot of variety as I can change the types of nuts or yoghurt depending on preferences.

My favourite nuts at the moment however are Macadamias. Very nice texture, although can be quite expensive so I only have them occasionally as a treat.


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## Annette&Bertie (Feb 23, 2021)

HenryBennett said:


> Snap to all of that. I’ve tried mixed nuts and also fruit & nuts and don’t really like either.
> 
> I was very good last year but weakened over Christmas and haven’t totally clambered back on to the waggon. I’ve given up crisps and potato based snacks all together - I’ve not eaten a single crisp since being in hospital a year ago. It’s only this last couple of weeks that I started on salted peanuts but need to stop. The only way for me to stop snacking is simply not to have any in the house. I’ve stopped buying crackers. I clearly need to call on my willpower again.


I couldn’t live without crackers, my favourites are Ryvita and Crackerbread.   I think many diabetics find Christmas difficult.  I kniw I ate a whole lot of things I shouldn’t.    But, the thing that has bothered me most has been the lockdown.


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## Bloden (Feb 23, 2021)

My fav nuts are M&S almonds - nice n crunchy (not like Tesco’s which are a bit rubbery). All other nuts, nut butters and seeds are    by me. In fact, him indoors came up with a lower-carb version of tabbouleh by using crushed toasted hazelnuts instead of cracked wheat, yum!


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## HenryBennett (Feb 23, 2021)

Bloden said:


> lower-carb version of tabbouleh by using crushed toasted hazelnuts instead of cracked wheat, yum


Sounds nice.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 23, 2021)

Annette&Bertie said:


> I couldn’t live without crackers, my favourites are Ryvita and Crackerbread.   I think many diabetics find Christmas difficult.  I kniw I ate a whole lot of things I shouldn’t.    But, the thing that has bothered me most has been the lockdown.


I liked Ryvita for a short time only. 
The first lockdown was bearable but each thereafter has been increasingly difficult and this latest one is just horrible. 
These lockdowns remind me of a stock take I had to do many, many years ago in Bristol on New Year’s Day. It was a frozen food storage facility with a temperature of minus 30°C.
We were provided with all the necessary clothing including special boots and gloves. Working in -30° seemed okay but after about 40 minutes we had to come out to get warm, then back in again. Second time in we could only take it for 20-25 minutes before coming and the third time it was 10 minutes and thereafter we didn’t have the fortitude to go in at all. 
This is how I’ve felt with the lockdown, and I certainly hope we don’t have a fourth one!


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## Leadinglights (Feb 23, 2021)

I think that is what a lot of people thought, Oh not again. I'm afraid too many people didn't take it seriously enough and flouted the rules or others who were put in difficult situations making it hard to keep to the rules with physical limitations on space to allow social distancing and wearing a mask if you wear glasses is a nightmare as they steam up no matter what you do. No chance of reading the carbs on the back of a food packet.
Incidentally you might like Ryvita thins rather than standard Ryvita.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 23, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> you might like Ryvita thins rather than standard Ryvita


I liked the protein Ryvitas for a few weeks, but the same old problem set in, in that they are just so dry. Even with hummus.
I have a friend who was complaining about youngsters milling around outside McDonalds. She said that the police should disperse them with riot shields and rubber bullets. I thought she was joking but, no, she was serious


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## Leadinglights (Feb 23, 2021)

HenryBennett said:


> I liked the protein Ryvitas for a few weeks, but the same old problem set in, in that they are just so dry. Even with hummus.
> I have a friend who was complaining about youngsters milling around outside McDonalds. She said that the police should disperse them with riot shields and rubber bullets. I thought she was joking but, no, she was serious


Maybe try the Ryvitas with something not so dry like a tuna pate (tinned tuna mixed with a dolop mayo and lemon juice) or brie or philidelphia with cucumber. The reason I like them is because they are crunchy.


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## grovesy (Feb 23, 2021)

I always think of Ryvita as 70's diet food, that did not travel well in Tupperware!


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## Leadinglights (Feb 23, 2021)

grovesy said:


> I always think of Ryvita as 70's diet food, that did not travel well in Tupperware!


Then a lot of things didn't travel well in tupperware, they always had a plastic taste.
I remember Energen rolls which tasted like sawdust.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 23, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Maybe try the Ryvitas with something not so dry like a tuna pate (tinned tuna mixed with a dolop mayo and lemon juice) or brie or philidelphia with cucumber. The reason I like them is because they are crunchy.


I like the fact they’re crunchy but I might have got lazy and not bothered with butter.


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## grovesy (Feb 23, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Then a lot of things didn't travel well in tupperware, they always had a plastic taste.
> I remember Energen rolls which tasted like sawdust.


Never tried those but sold a few in my time used to work in a Pharmacy. Nimble was the only slimming bread I tried a bit like eating air.
Never noticed the plastic taste of Tupperware myself.


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## Annette&Bertie (Feb 24, 2021)

I do think the country has had enough of lockdown, at least those worthy souls with intelligence to have stuck to the rules, which includes me.  If I had a relative in a nursing home, however, I would want any staff who refuses to have the vaccine to be sacked, no ifs, buts.  In the past up to 2014 my aunt was in a terrific nursing home which I have since recommended to others, she had vascular dementia and died aged 94.   If we had the virus then, I am fairly willing to bet, as I knew the staff, owners and carers that none would have refused.
Getting back to the topic of ryvita, I hate the thins, but they break up too easily when you try to spread on them, so that's a no no for me.
I am told there are many low to very low carb crackers out there, yet I can't seem to pin them down, hence I go for Crackerbread which I love, and ordinary Ryvita.  I so miss dunking my crusty white loaf in my soup, no bread comes anywhere close, so crackers don't hit the spot with my soup either.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 24, 2021)

Annette&Bertie said:


> If we had the virus then, I am fairly willing to bet, as I knew the staff, owners and carers that none would have refused.


I’ve a sister in law and brother in law who own and manage care homes. They got vaccinated as soon as they could, and both have already had the two doses. I’m waiting on the second.

It sounds as though you are going for a super low carb diet? I started by cutting out pretty well all carbs I could. But I’m a year on now and would say I’m somewhere between low and medium. Instead of two slices of toast I’ll have one. I’ve halved the quantity of both rice and pasta and eat them half as frequently - so a 75% reduction. I rarely have potatoes - possibly once a fortnight. No sweets or crisps. I don’t drink any less wine than I used to but never drink cider, ale, beer or lager. Guinness occasionally. I prick my finger regularly, at least every day in the morning. 

So I’m reasonably settled but am finding it hard to hit my ultimate target weight.

Is a slice (or two) of crusty bread out of the freezer too much for you? A shame if it is.


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## Annette&Bertie (Feb 24, 2021)

Henry, the thing is our body needs carbs, but less if you are diabetic of course.   I tend to think that we can have something like pasta which I love, but just once a fortnight or even once a month for one meal, but not every day or even once a week, I see it as a treat.   Unfortunately, there is not a bread that is not white that I like, and I have tried them all.    Therefore, as much as I like bread if I had white, I couldn’t resist having more than one slice even, as I have done kept it in the freezer.    I love cheese on toast.    I love cheese full stop.   I have loads of chedder, Full fat soft and Continental cheeses in my fridge as well as olives and cream cheese stuffed little peppers.  Cheese has no carbs but are full fat, so I still have to be careful.

I don’t like a breakfast but it is normal for me to stick to eggs in one form, however today my breakfast was actually at 1pm because I didn’t fancy it in the morning, ran out of eggs so hey presto I had sliced beans, diced carrots and smoked mackeral, all done in my steamer.   It was delicious.

As for fluids, I love wine and a Bombay Sapphire, ice and slice of lime, but I have had not one since I was diagnosed in 2016.   I drink a lot of sparkling water between 2 and 3 litres a day, this is not since being diabetic, however, I have been doing this since the 80s  for no other reason, except being good for skin, than I just like it and sometimes put slices of lemon and mint in.    Coffee black is what I drink all the time,


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## HenryBennett (Feb 24, 2021)

@Annette&Bertie, yes, white crusty bread  I used to go to France regularly and came back with sore gums!


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## Drummer (Feb 24, 2021)

Every time I see the title of this thread I think about the advert - Nuts! Whole hazel nuts. Cadburys take them and cover them with chocolate - to a rhythm which might be calypso.
You can use nuts and seeds to make low carb crackers which are rather good, just don't burn them.


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## Annette&Bertie (Feb 24, 2021)

Drummer said:


> Every time I see the title of this thread I think about the advert - Nuts! Whole hazel nuts. Cadburys take them and cover them with chocolate - to a rhythm which might be calypso.
> You can use nuts and seeds to make low carb crackers which are rather good, just don't burn them.


Thanks Drummer but I prefer having them ready made LoL


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## Newbie777 (Feb 26, 2021)

Interesting read,

My snacking is very limited to about 30g of cheese, but since I run out of walnuts. am snacking on almonds about 30 throughout the day.

Peanuts, well they are in a totally different category aren't they and so so addictive, I  can't start a bag and then stop half way.

I guess the good bit is you know they are unhealthy in terms of salt or saturated fat and for everyday is best avoiding them.

But enjoying food and a treat now and then is essential for me, including cakes, pies, pizza and of course peanuts.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Feb 26, 2021)

Haha! I’m glad it’s not just me that is fussy about peanuts. Pretty much KP or nothing as far as I am concerned.

The roasting oil in the others... or flavour of the spices (if dry roasted) and the texture of the nuts themselves just isnt the same with supermarket own brand ones!

One exception being Asda Habanero Chilli flavoured. Those are smashing!

Mixed nut selection I am much more feee and easy with


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## helli (Feb 26, 2021)

After more than 15 years of carb counting, you'd think I'd be used to it. 
This morning I had fruit and nuts for breakfast. I diligently weighed a banana and an orange then took a handful of walnuts out of the bag. After I weighed out 20g, I still had some in my hand ... which I proceeded to eat. 
I was grateful they are low carb because I don't know how many I ate - they were not include in today's carb count.


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## HenryBennett (Feb 26, 2021)

Regrettably, I have to report/confess that I’ve bought some more KP’s. Both the salt & vinegar (which I’ve never tried before) and the chilli. That’s it now! Yeah right.


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## merrymunky (Feb 28, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> Maybe try the Ryvitas with something not so dry like a tuna pate (tinned tuna mixed with a dolop mayo and lemon juice) or brie or philidelphia with cucumber. The reason I like them is because they are crunchy.


Ditto they satisfy my craving for crunchy food that isn’t crisps! I enjoy the dark rye variety


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## Annette&Bertie (Mar 4, 2021)

the nuts I eat are very bland.   Because  of the salt content I never eat any salted nuts, but I’m beginning to want them after reading this page.


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## HenryBennett (Mar 4, 2021)

Annette&Bertie said:


> the nuts I eat are very bland.   Because  of the salt content I never eat any salted nuts, but I’m beginning to want them after reading this page.


Sorry about that A&B. I went to Sainsbury’s yesterday and didn’t buy any KPs. Next time I’m going to have a look at the salt content on the chilli v salted nuts or, better still, I’ll walk past them.

Lidl have a good range of good quality nuts but, as you point out, they are generally rather bland. The exception is Brazil nuts. I never feel the need to add seasoning. But the pecans, walnuts etc I often spray a bit of olive oil, sprinkle some peri peri seasoning, give them a good mix/shake and Bob’s your uncle.

I’ve put on a few pounds that I’m desperate to lose again. For the first time ever I’m trying meal replacement shakes three nights a week - as recommended by @ColinUK (thanks Colin).


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## Annette&Bertie (Mar 6, 2021)

Keep going Henry, I am really struggling and in my own case lockdown hasn’t helped.    I’m not using it as an excuse, it’s just a fact.


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## HenryBennett (Mar 6, 2021)

Annette&Bertie said:


> Keep going Henry, I am really struggling and in my own case lockdown hasn’t helped.    I’m not using it as an excuse, it’s just a fact.


Too true.


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## Peeny (Mar 16, 2021)

I have one portion of almonds every day, its my evening treat. I have them counted out into little zip lock bags, so I can just grab one. I do weigh out peanuts when I feel like a change.


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