Ramon Nuts: What Are They And Are They Paleo?

This was an inquiry I received recently, to which I had to reply in earnest, I have no idea.

I went ahead and researched a little and found out the following tidbits:

• They’re also called Maya Nuts and breadnuts (as they have traditionally used in making flat-bread)
• They have a chocolaty taste and are often used in lieu of coffee
• Can be made into a ‘recovery’ from sport drink, hot or cold, and perhaps blended with green tea, maca, cinnamon and coconut water
• It’s a member of the fig family
• The ‘nuts’ are actually seeds from the ramon fruit

So, bottom line, I would summarize that if they are in fact a seed, then they’d likely be acceptable to eat in moderation on the Paleo diet, just like using the occasional dash of black sesame seeds on an Asian dish you’re preparing or eating a handful of nuts with an apple.

Remember, all seeds and nuts are high in Omega 6s, low in Omega 3s and tend to have a high phytic acid, or phytate, content (which is somewhat lessened by sprouting), which is why we shouldn’t rely on them as our main source of fat.  

Simply put, if you have seeds or nuts, or their derivative products, like nut butters, sometimes, just make sure you eat plenty of Omega 3s (from wild salmon, for example) that day, as well as plenty of  fresh leafy veggies to help the body return to alkalinity.