Nuts for Your Health
For years, nuts have had the stigma of being a high calorie/high fat food. However, recent studies show that nuts are a heart healthy snack and are good for you. You may wonder how something so high in fat can be good for your heart. Well, I'm glad you asked. The answer has to do with the type of fat nuts contain, not the amount of fat. As more studies differentiate between good and bad fats, we now know nuts contain the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated variety- otherwise known as good fats. Although nuts do pack a lot of calories, the key is portion control. The FDA recommends consuming a small handful (about 1.5 ounces) of nuts every day.
Nuts are a good source of dietary fiber, minerals, protein, phytochemicals, magnesium, copper and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E and folic acid. The healthy fat that nuts contain may be the factor that makes them so heart healthy. Nuts do not contain any saturated fats, which is the real threat to your arteries. The fats contained in most nuts, such as cashews, almonds and peanuts are monounsaturated. Walnuts are rich in omega 3. Going nuts, I mean, eating nuts, can help lower the risk of a heart attack by over 30%. The fiber in nuts also helps to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol and raise HDL ("good") cholesterol.
Nuts also seem to help with weight loss. When eaten instead of high carbs and bad fats, the fiber and protein from nuts help dieters feel full longer. People who eat nuts usually find it more fulfilling and tend to not reach for a less nutritious and less satisfying bag of chips or cookies. Dieters can now rejoice and enjoy a handful of nuts without any regret.