Go With The Nuts
It seems as though everybody is talking about nuts. Researchers seem to find more and more benefits from eating nuts. And nuts are an important part of the Department of Agriculture’s “Food Pyramid” (See < http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html >).
So what’s so good about nuts? Here’s some important information for you to consider.
- First of all, nuts contain a host of important minerals and vitamins, such as vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium and copper, as well as protein.
- Nuts also contain beneficial (monounsaturated) fats and fiber and are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals, both of which can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack by lowering the blood levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and raising the blood levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL).
- In addition, nuts can help dilate blood vessels, which can help to prevent hardening of the arteries.
- The fats and fibers in nuts also make them satisfying and filling. Including small portions of them in your in your diet can make you feel less hungry and more likely to eat less food during the day.
But you can overdo a good thing. Eating too many nuts can add extra calories to your daily diet. So if eat a lot of nuts and don’t want to gain weight, you better cut down on calories from other food sources or portion out a small amount of nuts for your snacks. You can also cut down on your calories by substituting nuts for foods that contain the wrong kind of fats, such as cake, pies and cookies.
There are other ways of having nuts in your diet without adding extra calories, such as putting small amounts of nuts in salads, cereals and vegetables, or putting chopped nuts on top of yogurt. Combining nuts with popcorn or spreading a small amount of peanut butter on celery are also good ways to add nuts to your diet.
Do yourself a favor and go with the nuts.
For additional information on the benefits of including nuts in your diet see (< http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56560 >). See also Pecans: Antioxidant-Packed Nuts http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/pecans-antioxidant-packed-nuts