http://healthable.org/going-nuts-7-great-nuts- for-health/ April 30, 2013

Going Nuts: 7 Great Nuts for Health

Ryan Rivera

Nuts have been on the short end of the deal as far as reputat ion is concerned. The fact is thatnuts should play a vital role in our diet . These lit t le wonders are full of monounsaturated fatsthat keep the heart healthy and lower the risk of contract ing diseases. It is now known thatnuts and seeds are not only great sources of protein but can also lower bad cholesterol andeven help prevent weight gain. Some studies show nuts are good in alleviat ing symptoms ofanxiety due to high selenium content. If you are now convinced that nuts are good for you,here then are the top kinds of nuts that you should be munching.

Walnuts

Walnuts are not gett ing the respect it deserves, seriously.In a 2009 Harvard study, people who ate a lot of walnutsimproved their good cholesterol levels and hardly gainedweight. The secret lies on its high ALA content which is anOmega 3 fat ty acid that helps protect the heart . Walnutsare great in giving you the right posture. It seems thatwalnuts are helpful in prevent ing bone breakage becauseof ALA. Again, it is best to eat nuts raw and avoid roastedor irradiated ones. You can eat walnuts together with yourmorning cereal.

Almonds

Almonds are great nuts to eat if you need to catch some sleep. Apparent ly, almonds are rich inmagnesium which together with melatonin helps people to get better sleep. Sleep deprivat ionoften makes people a bit more edgy and can be one of the causes of anxiety. It also a greatsupplier of calcium, aside from milk, that will keep your bones and teeth stronger. The winningstreak of almonds doesn’t end there as it can provide lots of ant i-oxidants such as vitamin Eand selenium. Selenium is benef icial especially to people want ing to have a cure for their anxietysymptoms.

Pistacho

Known by its nickname, the “skinny” nut, pistachio is great for weight loss because it has onlythree calories. Count ‘em three calories! It is also great to cut down your eat ing speed thuscutt ing your consumption which means less calorie intake. In a 2009 study, it showed thatpeople ate 35 percent less if they are eat ing pistachios with shells on compared to peopleeat ing pistachios with the shells already discarded. Pistachios are full of lutein that can slowdown the age-related eye disease macular degenerat ion and zeaxanthin which is a closerelat ive of beta-carotene, a powerful ant i-oxidant.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are full of folate which is a relat ive of vitamin B which can help people lower the riskof heart problems. It can also help contain Alzheimer’s disease and some birth defects. The nutis also rich in arginine which is helpful in bringing blood pressure levels to normal and who canforget its magnif icent dose of magnesium to help f ight stress and anxiety.

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts may not teach you the samba or how to play soccer but it will keep your hearthealthy. Brazil nuts have a chockfull of copper, niacin, vitamin E, f iber and proteins that can helpprotect the heart f rom increased risks. It is also full of selenium and magnesium that can keeppeople calmer and less stressed and anxious.

Cedar Nuts

Siberian cedar nuts have about 70 percent of the essent ial amino acids that the body needs.Cedar nuts have high amounts of vitamin A, B and D and alpha-tocopherol which is anotherway of saying vitamin E. This exot ic nut is uncanny because it possesses oil that is also foundin f ish oil.

Pecans

Pecans take the cake as the king nut with the most ant i-oxidants. Pecans contain alpha-tocopherol, which is the kind of vitamin E that helps protect the heart . It protects the heartf rom oxidat ive stress that can produce free radicals that of ten destroy cells and cause harmfuldamage. It is also good in bringing down bad cholesterol levels and prevents the oxidat ion oflow-density lipoprotein.

Are you now nuts? There are lots of wonderful things that you can get with eat ing nuts. Justremember to tone down on the salt , if you are on a low-sodium diet and avoid it if you areallergic. Enjoy and be nuts!