Savory Roasted Nuts

What is BHT?

When I worked in the lab I had the pleasure of testing BHT. It’s a very fine white powder that smells almost exactly like moth balls. Moth balls keep bugs away and BHT is a preservative which had me quickly wondering what BHT does on a cellular level. Working in a lab I had access to all the MSDS sheets of the chemicals we worked with. That is when I began reading food ingredient labels with a very close eye. It’s appalling what they allow into our food. The quote below is from section 11 of the MSDS. Follow the MSDS link to learn more.

MSDS Toxicological information of BHT (Butylated Hydroxytolulene)

 Routes of Entry: Absorbed through skin. Dermal contact. Inhalation. Ingestion.

Toxicity to Animals: Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 650 mg/kg [Mouse].

Chronic Effects on Humans:

CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: A4 (Not classifiable for human or animal.) by ACGIH, 3 (Not classifiable for human.) by IARC.

MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or yeast. May cause damage to the following organs: blood, liver, central nervous system (CNS).

Other Toxic Effects on Humans:

Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of inhalation (lung irritant). Slightly hazardous in case of ingestion, .

Special Remarks on Toxicity to Animals: Not available.

Special Remarks on Chronic Effects on Humans:

May affect genetic material (mutagenic). May cause cancer based on animal test data. No human data found. May cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects (teratogenic)

Special Remarks on other Toxic Effects on Humans:

Acute Potential Health Effects:

Skin: Causes mild to moderate skin irritation.

Eyes: Causes moderate eye irritation.

Inhalation: May cause respiratory tract (nose, throat) irritation.

Ingestion: May be harmful if swallowed. The clinical manifestations of acute are not well-known. May cause gastritis, vomiting, hypermotility, diarrhea. May affect behavior/central nervous system(dizziness, weakness, somnolence, slurred speech, ataxia, visual and auditory hallucinations, headache, confusion, temporary loss of consciousness), respiration (respiratory depression), blood (reduced ability to clot)

Chronic Potential Health Effects:

Ingestion: Prolonged or repeated ingestion may affect the liver, kidneys, thyroid, adrenal gland, behavior/central nervous system and learning ability, blood(reduced ability to clot), and may cause weight loss. Ingestion or skin contact may also cause allergic reaction (dermatitis, asthma)

 Paleo Snacks Aren’t Always Available

Stop by any coffee shop, service station, or grocery store aisle and there are so many snack mixes available, yet very few are paleo friendly. Most contain wheat, dairy, or an inflammatory oil like corn, soy, or canola. Roasted nuts almost always contain an offending oil.

Even if you are not following a paleo lifestyle you will definitely gobble these up. I tested them on a few friends and they couldn’t eat them fast enough. Hence, they are one of my kitchen creations that instantly became “blog worthy”.

Make sure the nuts you use are raw and do not contain any inflammatory oils or salt. In the photo above you’ll see that I used cashew pieces instead of buying whole nuts because they are significantly cheaper that way. You can also buy nuts in the bulk section of the grocery store so that you only buy what you will use in the near future. Oils in nuts can become rancid over time so store them in a cool place to slow down this process.

Something I was surprised to discover was that the pecans roasted this way tasted a lot like pretzels. I love pretzels so it was a nice surprise to find a paleo friendly version.

Worcestershire isn’t whole 30 because it contains sugar and the ever questionable natural flavorings. I figured at 1g of sugar per teaspoon the impact wouldn’t be that significant since only 2 teaspoons were being used. Looking for a better alternative I discovered Michelle from Nom Nom Paleo recommends The Wizard’s Worcestershire sauce. Looking over the ingredients it still contains sugar, same amount as my Lea & Perrins, but at least the ingredients are all organic and there is a gluten free version.

Print

Savory Roasted Nuts

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP avocado oil
• 2 tsp salish (smoky salt)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. Combine a cup of each: almonds, pecans, cashews. Then add 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds.

2. In a separate bowl combine cumin, garlic, salt, onion, and salish with 2T of oil using a whisk if you need to break up any spice clumps.
   

3. Toss the nuts with the spice mixture and spread them evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat and bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.
   

4. Chex Mix Flavor Variation (contains sugar) 

   reduce cumin to 1/4 tsp

   use 2 TBSP of ghee instead of oil

   add 2 tsp worcestershire sauce

Originally posted on February 27, 2017 @ 13:55

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