I'm Jodie, the founder of My Breakfast Box.  I started My Breakfast Box having worked as a personal trainer and Yoga teacher for a number of years and seeing clients really struggle with eating a balanced, convenient breakfast.  So, after completing a degree in Food & Nutrition, I started developing a range of products to help inspire people to eat a breakfast that is not only good for your body, but tastes brilliant and is super simple to make.

We’re forever looking for the perfect foods to add to our diet, but is there such a thing? Well, nuts might just be the answer! Here’s why…

Plant Protein

Protein is an essential nutrient required by the body to maintain cells, grow, heal and more! Protein is made up of amino acids, of which 9 are classed as essential (essential means the body cannot produce it and requires it to enter the body through food / drink). It is recommended that we include the full range of essential amino acids in our diet so that our body has enough of these nutrients to function well. Nuts are amazing as they all contain different profiles of these essential amino acids, for example: Brazil nuts contain good amounts of Methionine, peanuts contain lots of Tryptophan, pistachios are good for Lysine… and so on. So, eating a range of nuts is a great way to consume some of those essential amino acids as part of a balanced diet.

And when it comes to grams of protein per serving, nuts are up there too! Peanuts offer the largest amount of protein per 100g (around 24g) closely followed by almonds (21g) so provide a great option for snacking or adding to a meal if you’re looking to increase the amount of protein you’re eating.

High in fibre

Fibre is something that a lot of us could do with eating more of! The benefits are bountiful, and it can be relatively easy to add a little more to your diet with some high fibre foods.

Fibre is usually categorised as either ‘soluble’ or ‘insoluble’, both playing different but important roles in the body. Soluble fibre slows digestion and can also slow the absorption of sugar into the body which means it can help prevent blood sugar spikes – useful for keeping energy levels consistent, helping with weight loss and managing diabetes. Soluble fibre also binds with fatty acids helping to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol in the body (bad cholesterol). Insoluble fibre helps move waste through your intestines and helps keep you regular!

Fibre is also important for feeding the good bacteria in your gut; pre-biotic rich foods such as oats and bananas help support these live bacteria that aid in digesting your food, keeps the good vs bad bacteria in balance in the gut and may also strengthen your immune system.

For a food to be classed as high fibre, it must contain at least 5g of fibre per 100g. So, when it comes to nuts, they are a great source as many contain way more than this!  Some of the best examples are:

• Almonds (13g / 100g)
• Pistachios (11g/ 100g)
• Hazelnuts (10g / 100g)
• Pecans (10g /100g)

Fatty Acids

As with protein, there are certain fatty acids, like Omega-3, that are classed as essential and can be sourced from (you guessed it) nuts!  Fatty acids are a vital part of the cell membranes throughout the body and help with a huge number of functions. Omega-3 fatty acids are categorized into ‘EPA’ and ‘ALA’ fatty acids; nuts can be a good source of ALA fatty acids (Alpha-linolenic acid). The best ‘nut based’ source of Omega-3 is walnuts so make a great addition to your snacking or cooking; other good sources include flaxseeds which go well in energy balls, porridge and even sprinkled on some yoghurt.

As you can see, nuts have a lot to offer when it comes to nutrition (not to mention they’re pretty damn tasty!) … so, how are you getting yours?! Breakfast, lunch, dinner or some epic snacks!?

Don't forget to check our My Breakfast Box - Nutritious Breakfast Options delivered to your door.