1. Peanuts. With 7 grams of protein per ounce, peanuts contain the highest protein of any nut. Inexpensive and easy to find, peanuts may be one of the most commonplace options out there, but they're still the nuts with the most protein per serving.
Pecans. Among tree nuts, these pie stars contain the lowest in carbs (four grams per ounce compared to 6 for almonds and 9 for cashews). Their abundant phenolic compounds make them a great snack after an intense workout, when free radicals naturally increase from exercise, says Halas-Liang.
Brazil nuts, cashews and macadamia nuts are higher in saturated fat. Too much of this can contribute to raised cholesterol levels, so only eat them occasionally. Chestnuts are an exception – they're lower in all types of fats and higher in starchy carbohydrate than other nuts.
Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans also appear to be quite heart healthy. So are peanuts — though they are technically not a nut, but a legume, like beans. It's best to choose unsalted or unsweetened nuts. Adding salt or sugar to nuts may cancel out their heart-healthy benefits.
Depending on the intensity of the exercise and you, as an individual, it may be better to avoid nuts too close to exercise, as they are slow to digest. If exercise intensity is LOW and you have 2-4 HOURS to digest: A handful (30g) of nuts in the main meal 2-4 hours before exercise should be tolerable.
SKIP BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT: NUTS
Nuts, cheese, and avocados contain protein, which is good, but their high fat content makes them pre-workout no-nos. “You don't want to eat something high in fat, like fast foods, fried foods, or cheesy foods,” she adds. Avoid them six to eight hours before your workout.
Best nuts for athletes #1: Almonds
A healthy snack but also a performance enhancer, almonds are a great source for magnesium, manganese and vitamins E and B. Their high antioxidant content results in an increased tolerance to endurance and speedier recovery times.
Nuts can be a valuable part of a muscle-building diet. Noshing on a variety of nuts is good for you in so many ways, even in the results you glean from your workouts. Provided you put in the effort with the right muscle-building exercises, nuts are a good dietary staple to support you in getting stronger and more fit.
They also contain fat, iron, zinc and niacin. You may need more than 30 grams of nuts and seeds a day to ensure adequate protein.
23 almonds a day.
When compared ounce for ounce, almonds are the tree nut highest in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and niacin. Just remember 1-2-3. 1 ounce of almonds, or about 23 almond nuts, is the ideal daily portion recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Nuts are a rich source of protein and fiber, the two key ingredients for getting those six pack abs. Nuts such as almonds, pine nuts, walnuts and cashews provide your body with the right amount of energy and help in building muscle mass and abs.
Rule No. 1: “Avoid pure protein right after the workout, because your body will just use it as energy again,” says Collingwood. Also, steer clear of foods that are mostly sugar (cookies, candy and the like) or mostly fat like a handful of nuts (without yogurt or fruit to balance the fat) or fried foods.
Before the workout
You must keep a gap of at least 20 minutes to half-an-hour between the meal and the exercise session. “Have simple carbohydrates such as fruits (200gm) or dates (50gm) with some probiotics and 10 soaked and peeled almonds,” says Sisodia.
Walnuts. A cup of chopped shelled walnut halves contains 15.2 g of protein and 9 g of omega-3 fatty acids, which may benefit muscle building. Walnuts are also a suitable source of dietary vitamin E, which research indicates may protect the body against physical stress during exercise.
Daily recommended intake of nuts
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we eat 30g of nuts per day, which actually isn't much (remember that when you go through a whole bag of pistachios!).