Dear Dietitian

Do seeds and coconut have health benefits?

Regarding the article The health benefits of nuts, are similar benefits obtained from foods like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds? I also wonder if there is any information on the GI of coconut?

Certainly there are health benefits gained from eating seeds. They contain many of the same good things as nuts e.g. poly and mono unsaturated fatty acids, fibre, Vitamin E, and magnesium, all of which are beneficial.

Many books don't discuss coconut in relation to GI. This is because GI relates to the carbohydrate in foods and is intended for use in relation to high carbohydrate foods.

Nuts are high in fat (mainly poly or monounsaturated 'good' fats), have a low to moderate protein content and low content of carbohydrate.

Because of the high fat content of coconuts, the GI would be low, as it is in peanuts. However, in view of the high saturated fat content in coconut (the only nut which contains mostly saturated fat) it is not so good for heart health.

Coconut is one nut we do not recommend people eat often.

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