ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
2 / A2
Published
Title
Nuts May Cut Cravings for Sweets and Fast Food
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2025-12-29-nuts-may-cut-cravings/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: True or False, Put Events in Order

Language: Vocab Match

Use It: Sentence Completion, Discussion Questions

Answers

(1) Do you try to eat healthy food?

(2) Do you eat snacks between meals?

A pile of mixed nuts on a white surface.
A pile of mixed nuts.

Vocab List

Craving (n.) — A strong wish to eat or have something.
Steady (adj.) — Not changing much; staying stable.
Urge (n.) — A strong feeling that makes you want to do something.
Unsalted (adj.) — With no salt added.
Abnormal (adj.) — Not normal; different from what is usual.
Option (n.) — A choice you can pick.
Cholesterol (n.) — A fat-like substance in your blood. Too much can be bad for your heart.
Cravings (n.) — Strong wants for particular foods.
Fiber (n.) — A part of plant food that helps digestion.
Reading

A new study has found that a daily nut snack may cut cravings for sweets and fast food. It may also help people choose healthier foods.

The journal Nutrients published the study on December 2. The researchers followed young adults who had a higher risk of health problems. These problems can include high blood pressure, belly fat, and abnormal cholesterol. They can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

For 16 weeks, the young adults ate mixed tree nuts every day between meals. After the study, they reported fewer urges for sugary and salty snacks. They also wanted fast food less often. They ate more protein-rich foods, and their overall diet improved.

Kezia Joy, a food expert, said nuts have fat, protein, and fiber. These nutrients digest slowly, so blood sugar stays more steady. Many people feel full longer, so cravings can drop.

Public health professor Jacqueline A. Vernarelli suggested about a quarter cup of nuts. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts are good choices. She said people should choose whole nuts that are raw or dry-roasted. She also recommended unsalted nuts because salted nuts can have a lot of salt.

Allergic to tree nuts? Vernarelli said seeds can be a good option too. She suggested sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. They also have healthy fat, protein, and fiber.

Nuts May Cut Cravings for Sweets and Fast Food

Level 2 Article · Reviewed Source: healthline.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

A pile of mixed nuts on a white surface.
A pile of mixed nuts.

A new study has found that a daily nut snack may cut cravings for sweets and fast food. It may also help people choose healthier foods.

The journal Nutrients published the study on December 2. The researchers followed young adults who had a higher risk of health problems. These problems can include high blood pressure, belly fat, and abnormal cholesterol. They can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

For 16 weeks, the young adults ate mixed tree nuts every day between meals. After the study, they reported fewer urges for sugary and salty snacks. They also wanted fast food less often. They ate more protein-rich foods, and their overall diet improved.

Kezia Joy, a food expert, said nuts have fat, protein, and fiber. These nutrients digest slowly, so blood sugar stays more steady. Many people feel full longer, so cravings can drop.

Public health professor Jacqueline A. Vernarelli suggested about a quarter cup of nuts. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts are good choices. She said people should choose whole nuts that are raw or dry-roasted. She also recommended unsalted nuts because salted nuts can have a lot of salt.

Allergic to tree nuts? Vernarelli said seeds can be a good option too. She suggested sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. They also have healthy fat, protein, and fiber.

Speaker: American Male  Duration: 1:50  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

A new study has found that a daily nut snack may cut (1) for sweets and fast food. It may also help people choose healthier foods.

The journal Nutrients published the study on December 2. The researchers followed young adults who had a higher risk of health problems. These problems can include high blood pressure, belly fat, and abnormal (2) . They can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

For 16 weeks, the young adults ate (3) tree nuts every day between meals. After the study, they reported fewer urges for sugary and salty snacks. They also wanted fast food less often. They ate more (4) foods, and their overall diet improved.

Kezia Joy, a food expert, said nuts have fat, protein, and fiber. These nutrients digest slowly, so blood sugar stays more (5) . Many people feel full longer, so cravings can drop.

Public health professor Jacqueline A. Vernarelli suggested about a quarter cup of nuts. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts are good choices. She said people should choose whole nuts that are raw or dry-roasted. She also recommended unsalted nuts because salted nuts can have a lot of salt.

Allergic to tree nuts? Vernarelli said seeds can be a good option too. She suggested (6) seeds and pumpkin seeds. They also have healthy fat, protein, and fiber.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Sentence Completion

  1. Use the past simple tense.

  2. Use the present simple and choose the correct preposition.

1.
1.
2.
Use It

Sentence Completion

Choose the correct word for each gap:

  1. The researchers A) the group for 16 weeks.

    Use the past simple tense.

    A) follow / follows / followed

    The researchers followed the group for 16 weeks.

  2. Nuts B) fat, protein, and fiber, so aim C) about a quarter cup.

    Use the present simple and choose the correct preposition.

    B) contain / contains / contained

    C) for / at / to

    Nuts contain fat, protein, and fiber, so aim for about a quarter cup.

Discussion Questions
  1. Did you learn anything while reading this article?
  2. Do you get cravings for foods? What food do you crave most often?
  3. What is a good snack to bring to work or school?
  4. How often do you eat fast food?
  5. What's your favorite nut?
  6. Do you think nuts are better than chips? Why?
  7. Do you look at food labels? Why or why not?
  8. The article mentions fiber. What foods with fiber do you eat?
  9. Are you allergic to any foods? How do you stay safe?
  10. Have you tried sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds? What do you think?

Discussion Questions

  1. Did you learn anything while reading this article?
  2. Do you get cravings for foods? What food do you crave most often?
  3. What is a good snack to bring to work or school?
  4. How often do you eat fast food?
  5. What's your favorite nut?
  6. Do you think nuts are better than chips? Why?
  7. Do you look at food labels? Why or why not?
  8. The article mentions fiber. What foods with fiber do you eat?
  9. Are you allergic to any foods? How do you stay safe?
  10. Have you tried sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds? What do you think?

Answers Nuts May Cut Cravings for Sweets and Fast Food / Level 2

Listening: (1) cravings, (2) cholesterol, (3) mixed, (4) protein-rich, (5) steady, (6) sunflower

True or False:

  1. True. The article says the young adults ate nuts daily for 16 weeks.
  2. False. The article says nuts may cut cravings for sweets and fast food.
  3. True. The article gives a suggested amount of about a quarter cup.
  4. True. The article suggests seeds for people who cannot eat tree nuts.

Put Events in Order:

  1. Researchers followed young adults with a higher risk of health problems.
  2. The group ate mixed tree nuts every day for 16 weeks.
  3. After the study, many people reported fewer cravings for sugary snacks.
  4. Experts suggested a quarter cup of whole, unsalted nuts.

Vocabulary:

  1. Craving: A strong wish to eat or have something.
  2. Cholesterol: A fat-like substance in your blood. Too much can be bad for your heart.
  3. Fiber: A part of plant food that helps digestion.
  1. Steady: Not changing much; staying stable.
  2. Unsalted: With no salt added.

Sentence Completion:

  1. A) followed
  2. B) contain; C) for

eslnewsstories.com