Nuts, seeds and grains
Mixed nuts on a GLP-1: protein, portions and how to actually eat it
About 18 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz), roasted, unsalted or salted, for around 600 calories. A small handful, about 30 g (1.1 oz), gives roughly 5 g of protein for 180 calories.
To reach 30 g of protein from mixed nuts alone you would need about 167 g (5.9 oz). On a small appetite that is often more than one sitting allows, which is why we pair it rather than chase the whole target from one food.
How mixed nuts sits on a GLP-1
A bag of mixed nuts averages about 18 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz), though the number moves with the mix: peanuts and almonds pull it up, cashews, macadamias and pecans pull it down. A small handful, 30 g (1 oz), is about 5 g of protein for 180 calories. On a GLP-1 they are the easiest food to overeat without noticing, because they are dry, moreish and in a bag, and a big handful of nuts is a lot of fat sitting in a slow stomach.
When your appetite is small
Decant the bag into 30 g (1 oz) containers on the day you buy it, and pair one container with a glass of milk or a piece of cheese so that the snack reaches 14 g rather than stopping at 5. If chewing dry food is the problem, nuts are the wrong snack that day; a protein pot or a cheese stick is the right one.
Three ways to prepare it
Portioned into small containers with milk alongside
The container decides the serve, not the bag. Milk brings the drink and 9 g of protein.
Chopped over a protein pot or porridge
A tablespoon of chopped mixed nuts on a protein pot. Crunch and a few grams on top of a real stop.
Warmed in a pan with rosemary and salt
Two minutes in a warm pan with rosemary and salt. Warm salted nuts taste of more, which helps a flat palate, and the smell is pleasant rather than off putting.
What to eat it with
Milk, cheese, yoghurt, dried apricots, dark chocolate. Nuts alone are a snack that fills without much protein; nuts with dairy are a stop.
How it compares
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed nuts | about 18 g | 600 kcal | this page |
| Almonds | about 21 g | 580 kcal | See the page |
| Peanuts | about 25 g | 570 kcal | See the page |
| Pistachios | about 20 g | 560 kcal | See the page |
All figures are typical values for the food as eaten, roasted, unsalted or salted, not laboratory figures for a particular brand.
Australian, US and UK names
Mixed nuts in all three countries. Trail mix in the US and scroggin in Australia and New Zealand add dried fruit and sometimes chocolate, which adds sugar and cuts the protein per handful. Deluxe mixes with more cashews and macadamias run lower in protein than mixes heavy on peanuts and almonds.
Questions people ask
Are mixed nuts a good source of protein?
A small handful is about 5 g for around 180 calories, so not on their own. Peanuts and almonds are the highest protein nuts, cashews and macadamias the lowest. Pair a handful with milk, cheese or yoghurt to make it count.
Your number comes first
Knowing what is in a food only helps once you know how much you are aiming for. The target is 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of your goal weight, not your current weight, which for most people is 90 to 140 g a day.
Work out your protein targetMore on eating well when your appetite is small: high protein foods for a small appetite, how much protein on a GLP-1, and every food we have written up. The whole system in five documents is the Keep Muscle Kit, A$47 / US$29 / £23.
EverStrong provides nutrition and strength coaching and education. It is not medical advice and does not replace your prescribing doctor.