How many dry fruits should you eat in a day?

Dry fruits are good for you, but they are also rich. Too few and you miss out; too many and the calories add up quickly. The good news is that India's own nutrition institute has put a number on it.

The answer: about 35 g of nuts and seeds a day

ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition's "My Plate for the Day" sets out a balanced 2,000-calorie day for an adult. It includes 35 g of nuts and seeds, which supplies about 181 calories, 6 g of protein and 15 g of fat.¹

What 35 g looks like

• Almonds: about 28 to 30 almonds.
• Walnuts: about 15 to 17 halves.
• A mix: 12 almonds, 5 walnut halves and a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

A simple rule of thumb: one small handful that fits in your cupped palm.

Split it across the day

• Morning: soaked almonds and a walnut or two with breakfast.
• Afternoon: a few cashews or pistachios instead of biscuits with chai.
• Anytime: a spoon of chia, flax or pumpkin seeds stirred into curd, oats or a salad.

Swap, don't add

Almonds have about 579 calories per 100 g.² Nuts work best when they replace a less healthy snack, not when they are eaten on top of everything else.

What about raisins, anjeer and apricots?

Dried fruits like kishmish, munakka, anjeer and khumani are fruit with the water taken out, so their natural sugar is concentrated. They bring fibre, iron and potassium, but keep portions small: a tablespoon of raisins or two to three anjeer. If you are managing blood sugar, check with your doctor.

What the research says

A randomised trial in Mumbai followed 219 young people aged 16 to 25 who were at risk of prediabetes. About half ate 56 g of almonds a day for three months. Compared with the other half, who ate a savoury wheat-and-chickpea snack, the almond group saw small but significant improvements in HbA1c, total cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.³ The study was funded by the Almond Board of California.

Soaked or raw?

Both are fine. Soaking overnight softens almonds and many people find them easier to chew and digest. If you prefer them crunchy, eat them raw. The most important thing is that you eat them regularly.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a nut allergy, kidney disease or a specific health condition, ask your doctor how much is right for you.