Should I limit how often my child eats nuts because they contain fat?

When I mention kids and nuts in the same sentence, some parents react like I’ve dropped the F-bomb, thanks to the association of nuts with two other F-words: fat and fear.

Parents sometimes avoid nuts due to claims they cause unwanted weight gain or trigger life-threatening allergies.

But nuts are good good for kids – and avoiding them can do more harm than good.

The fats in nuts are healthy fats

Decades of exposure to the diet industry’s relentless low-fat marketing have led parents to believe that all fats are bad. But this isn’t the case.

Nuts are packed with fats, but it’s the healthy type: unsaturated fat. It supports heart and digestive health, and reduces inflammation.

Nuts provide essential nutrients children need for healthy growth, including the omega-3 fatty acids younger kids need for brain, nerve and vision development. They are also one of the richest sources of dietary polyphenols or antioxidants, which have a range of potential health benefits, including cancer prevention.

Nuts contain fibre, protein and good fats, which take longer to digest, satisfying kids’ hunger and making them feel fuller for longer. In fact, up to 20% of the energy in nuts isn’t absorbed, but still provides feelings of fullness.

The high fibre content also helps kids’ with regular and easier bowel movements.

This means nuts actually help manage kids’ weight, with research showing eating more nuts is linked to a lower risk of being overweight.

What about the allergy risk?

Nut allergies are becoming more common and understandably can cause parents great concern.

But research shows consuming nuts in appropriate forms from a young age can actually reduce the chance of having a nut allergy, including among those at high risk (such as when a family member has an allergy).

Another study found regularly feeding peanuts from infancy reduced the rate of peanut allergies in adolescence by 71%.

To reduce the risk of allergies, introduce nuts as early as possible to your child’s diet – ideally between four and six months – in the form of 100% nut spreads to prevent choking.

Start by smearing a small amount of 100% smooth peanut butter on the inside of the lip and monitor for 30 minutes. If there’s no reaction, double the quantity (¼ teaspoon) and monitor for another 30 minutes. You can then repeat this process increasing to ½ teaspoon.

If this goes well, you can include 100% nut butters in your child’s diet, increasing the amount offered weekly.

If you have a family history of allergies, introduce nuts in consultation with your GP. If your child does have a reaction, mild to moderate reactions can be treated using non-sedating antihistamines. If the child has any symptoms of anaphylaxis, call an ambulance immediately and treat them with an EpiPen if one is available.

What should you do?

Allowing kids to enjoy nuts – nature’s treats – helps keep unhealthy processed foods out of their diets.

There’s no need to limit them because kids are extremely good at regulating their calorie intake across the course of the day.

When nuts are no longer a choking hazard (between the age of three and five years), I’d suggest serving them a large handful every day. Before that, they can eat nuts as pastes or finely crushed and mixed into food to prevent choking.

Adults often avoid eating nuts themselves due to concerns about their high energy content, fearing they might lead to weight gain. However, research suggests this fear may be unfounded. Studies show even relatively large servings – up to 100 grams per day – are linked to modest reductions in body weight and fat mass.

While Australia’s current dietary guidelines recommend limiting intakes of nuts, this no longer reflects the evidence and should be revised when the guidelines are updated next year.

Take-home tips

Nuts are a powerhouse of nutrition, but getting kids to eat them can be a challenge.

All nut varieties offer health benefits, so include a mixture to keep things interesting. Choose raw or dry-roasted, unsalted options to avoid added oil and salt creeping into kids’ diets.

If they reject them the first time, try again. Research shows kids need eight to ten exposures before they willingly eat new foods. So offer them regularly, encourage tasting and don’t pressure them to eat.

To help incorporate more nuts into children’s snacks and meals, start with milder, more familiar varieties such as cashews, almonds, or peanuts. These tend to have a softer texture and sweeter flavour, making them more appealing to younger palates.

More robust or bitter varieties – such as walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts – can be introduced gradually, mixed into other foods or baked into recipes to balance their stronger taste and firmer texture.

Nick Fuller is the author of Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids – Six Steps to Total Family Wellness. His free, practical recipe ideas, such as Easy Granola and Tahini Nut Bars, can be found at feedingfussykids.com.