Let’s Go Nuts!

No, I’m not talking about going crazy, although it’s fun sometimes to be crazy; to laugh and just be down right silly. I’m talking about eating nuts. Are you a nut eater? It’s weird, as a kid I wasn’t a big nut eater or even a peanut butter eater. I didn’t like peanut butter because of my older brother. He’d ever so politely show me his mushed up peanut butter and white bread sandwich in his mouth. That image alone turned me off from peanut butter my entire childhood!

As an adult, I now love peanut butter along with raw almonds. They offer a quick lift me up with great protein and fiber. I also love peanut butter it in my Chocolate Shakelogy, on a banana, on an apple or even peanut butter cookies. It’s almost like I can’t get enough of it.

Nuts Can Help Your Heart

As reported by the Mayo Clinic “People who eat nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet can lower the LDL, low-density lipoprotein or "bad," cholesterol level in their blood. High LDL is one of the primary causes of heart disease.

Eating nuts reduces your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. Nuts also improve the health of the lining of your arteries.”

What Is It About Nuts?

These small tasty treats are good for you, if eaten in their natural state (no covering with chocolate). Most nuts have the following health benefits:

Unsaturated fats – nut have good fat that helps to lower bad cholesterol

Fiber – nuts are full of fiber which helps you feel full; it helps lower cholesterol; and it also can help with preventing diabetes

Omega-3 – nuts is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids which is good for your heart

L-arginine – nuts have l-arginine in them, which helps your artery walls by making them more flexible, thus helping prevent blood clots.

Vitamin E – nuts contact Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that helps protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Vitamin E also helps with plaque in your arteries.

Protein – Nuts are a great source of healthy protein

Besides the Health Benefit

In addition to all the great health benefits of nuts mentioned, You can take them wherever you go. Keep some raw almonds

in a zip lock bag in your purse for when you have unexpected hungry.

Nuts last longer than fruits and veggies and perfect for trips. Nuts are a great addition to salads to add that extra crunch and

flavor.

Are All Nuts Created Equal?I think you know the answer to this one. No. Some have more fiber, more protein, more fat, more calories, etc. So you probably wonder which ones should you eat to get the most health benefits? I follow the ranking my kid’s pediatrician, Dr. Sears, gave me below:

Nuts, ranked by their nutrient density (contain the most protein, fiber, B-vitamins, calcium, minerals, and vitamin E for the least amount of saturated fat):

1. Almonds2. Hazelnuts3. Peanuts4. Chestnuts5. Pistachios6. Walnuts7. Cashews8. Pecans

9. Macadamias

The "Top Nut" award goes to the almond. One ounce of almonds (a medium-size handful) contains the following nutrients:

129 calories 5 grams of protein 14 grams of fat (90 percent unsaturated) 4 grams of fiber (the highest fiber content of any nut or seed), 80 milligrams of calcium 1.4 milligrams of zinc 1 milligram of iron 6.7 milligrams of vitamin E (about 25% of the adult recommend

daily allowance) Some B-vitamins, minerals, and selenium

But Beware of Too Many Nuts

Like most others foods, we do need to eat nuts in moderation. The caution here is due to the calorie and fat content. Even though the fat is “good” fat, it’s still fat and needs to be balanced with the rest of your diet. Because nuts are small and such a great snack food, a medium size handful is all that you need. Go for the no-salt and raw nuts. And candy coated or chocolate-coated nuts don’t count, they are a candy!

Just In!A recent USDA study found that almonds actually have 24% less calories than originally thought. They noted that their cell walls are hard to break down, so the fat inside isn’t easily absorbed by the body. Good thing I’ve been eating almonds for the last few years!