Let me give you an honest, personal account of what happened with a diet I was placed on, when I was about 30 years of age. Aside from being a completely vegetarian diet, I was advised to eat 3 ozs of nuts daily, of various kinds (almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, etc.). I usually ate more than the prescribed 3 ozs. By age 35, after 5 years on this diet, my weight was lower than it was when I was 30. I was thin at 30, but was thinner after being on this diet, that included nuts as the primary protein source. I also was advised to eat "up to" 1 oz, each morning, of sunflower seeds, alternating with pumpkin seeds, along with vegetable juice, a serv. of fruit and a few leaves of lettuce. The diet included 2 large vegetable salads each day, and steamed vegetables in the evening. I can only say to you, that on this diet, I achieved and experienced a degree of healthfulness, strength and vibrancy that I didn't think was possible for a human being. Not only was I thin, I was strong as on Ox, could work 12 hours, if necessary, with ease, and my sleep was perfect. Now, nearly 40 years later, I still have the diet, on a 2 page document on which it was typed, by a simple, vegetarian, country doctor, named Dr. Gerald Benesh, who, after having experienced a car accident, which put him in a wheel chair, finally died at age 90. The last photo I saw of him, he had in his hands, in his 80s, two 30lb dumbells, high over his head, had all his hair, all his teeth, and a smile on his face. Had he not had the auto accident, he probably would have lived past 100.

I can only tell you, that, when I was in my early thirties, and went on a fairly srict vegetarian diet, the doctor I went to, advised me to consume 3 oz of nuts, and 1 oz of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, daily. I was also allowed, though not encouraged, to ingest a raw egg yolk in the veggie juice drink I consumed in the morning, in place of the seeds, 3 of the 6 days (the seventh day, he strongly advised his patients to forgo food, rest, and drink water). Over the course of the years I followed this diet, I "lost" weight, arriving at the thinnest weight I'd ever achieved in my lifetime. It should go without saying, that nuts ought to viewed as a "primary" protein source, and not something with which to entertain yourself, while you continue to consume the usual meat, fish and poultry diet to which most Americans have grown accustomed. If you consume nuts, it's best to diminish your other protein sources by the number of calories you're consuming as nuts, thereby maintaining your weight.

I don't agree with this article. I am 45 and I have been vegan for little over a year. During that time my weight dropped from 180lbs to 157-159lbs. Once my weight stabilized to 157-159lbs (I fluctuate between this weight) it has stayed there. During the initial stages of my conversion to a vegan diet I ate a lot of nuts. I ate from 3/4 to a 1 16oz bag of almonds a day. For months after my weight stabilized, I continued to eat the same amount of almonds. I now eat around a 1/2 16oz bag of almonds a day. I eat a lot more fruits (bananas and dates) which take the place of some of the almonds. My weight is stable which in an indication that I am eating enough calories so I don't lose weight. In fat my diet is high in fat, and carbs, and meets my protein requirements. I eat plenty of sugar from dates, bananas, and apples, fats from the large amounts of nuts I eat, but I don't gain weight. I also eat plenty of vegetables (mainly kale and cilantro), an not a lot of complex carbs. I mainly eat qunioa and sometimes garbanzo beans. I also eat all day. I snack throughout the day on homemade veggie juice, banana smoothies, dates, bananas, apples, and almonds, and I don't gain weight. I feel I am at my optimal weight for my current activity level, and when I start cycling again I will probably lose 2 pounds.

Hey VegHead:

Yes, have seen that new one, which is a nut-industry funded study of a number of nut-industry studies, most of which studies actually had little to do with weight loss. In fact it "reviews" several of the same studies we already debunked, where nut-eaters were fed fewer calories during the study period when their weight started to go up, so that there would be no weight gain. In other words, it's another nonsense study from the free-spending nut industry.

A little busy right now, but we will be taking that one apart before too long. Meanwhile, Chef AJ has lost way more weight since this series of articles went up...doing nothing other than eliminate the "recommended" amount of daily nuts from her diet.

Nuts are great! They're healthy! But they're not "super foods" and the science, when it's actually examined and not just skimmed over, shows they do make most people gain weight if they simply add them and don't use them to replace.

Cheers.