Roasted or Raw?

[Portia]

Could someone educate me on any nutritional differences between raw and roasted nuts, specifically almonds and pecans? Are things like magnesium lost in the roasting process?

[Sequoia]

Minerals, such as magnesium, aren't affected by the roasting process.

Some vitamins aren't heat-stable, so roasting would diminish the level of those.

Nuts are high in oil content, and oils break down when overheated, which is why some sources suggest you roast your own nuts at home in a slow oven (300 degrees F) rather than buying them pre-roasted.

Also, the "roasted" nuts you buy may have been cooked in additional oil, rather than subjected to dry heat. The oil used may not be one you want to consume (example: cottonseed oil), or may have been overheated, or used multiple times, etc.

Personally, I mostly use raw nuts, which I keep refrigerated. When I want them roasted, I do it myself.

[Portia]

thanks

Thanks, my main concern was the magnesium in the almonds. I love raw pecans but not raw almonds. They have to be roasted. I will try roasting my own.

[Sir-Voor]

There is a nutritional difference, but in my point of view not high enough to worry about. Shrinkage form roasting may account for the difference.
All ways are good so I like to alternate between raw and roasted depending of what I have a taste for.

Going by the numbers at nutritiondata.com it seem honey roasted is the best with a good anti-inflammatory score and good amounts of antioxidants Omega-3 fatty acids and niacin.
In fact the honey roasted is the only one with a good Omega-3 amount.

Like Sequoia I like getting raw almonds and roasting my self, been doing 350 degrees F for 10minutes. (But I like the idea of roasting at 300 for longer) I love the smell, taste and crunch of roasted Almonds, I have been just getting a 2bl bag of blue diamond almonds from Wal-Mart and using them.

I have not tried honey roasting, so if anybody has tips or recipes I would enjoy reading them.

As to magnesium, 100grams of almonds
raw has 268mg/67%DV,
roasted has 286mg/72%DV,
honey roasted has 240mg/60%DV.

[nutritiontara]

Could someone educate me on any nutritional differences between raw and roasted nuts, specifically almonds and pecans? Are things like magnesium lost in the roasting process?

The biggest problem is you take a high (quality) fat food; roast it, put in a plastic bag, and on a grocery shelf. Pretty much guarantee its rancid. So we've taken a nutritious food and destroyed it; in fact, making it harmful. Roast your raw nuts at home in small quickly consumed batches.