Friends with Benefits

Experts have said eating, a handful (30g) of nuts a day, can help you lower your risk of Cardiovascular disease.

Nuts are a unique wholefood with a wide range of cardio protective-nutrients including healthy fats, plant omega-3s and plant sterols.

It is also recommended eating a variety of nuts because most were good sources of fibre, unsaturated fat and protein.

A new study published in the journal Diabetes Care has demonstrated yet another benefit of an old standby snack – nuts. The study found that replacing a high carbohydrate snack with two ounces of nuts a day helped with glycaemic and lipid control for people with type 2 diabetes.

Further, the experts found that consuming two ounces of nuts a day would not increase overall weight, despite the high caloric value of nuts, and actually helped to reduce weight in the long run. This isn’t the first time that nuts have taken the spotlight when it comes to health.

“Nut eaters are often thinner, because they eat nuts instead of other higher
carbohydrate snacks.”

 

ALMONDS – Almonds are packed with Vitamin E which enhance our blood flow
and keeps our immune system and skin health. 20 almonds a day can benefit your nervous system and help keep your bones strong. Almonds give you about 20 percent of the magnesium and phosphorous you need daily. Magnesium helps your body produce energy, and both magnesium and phosphorus work
with other minerals to help increase bone density.

BRAZIL NUTS – are high in selenium, a mineral that’s not always easy to find in our diet. A recent study found just two brazils a day provide 53 micrograms of selenium and raise blood selenium levels by about
60% percent.

CASHEWS – comes top of the nut ranks in iron stakes, containing an impressive 6mg per 100g. Getting your quota of this vital mineral prevents condition such as anemia, while improving immunity and energy
production. It also contains vitamin K, which is essential for helping blood clot. what’s more, cashews are high in beneficial mono- unsaturated fats, so your heart will thank you for snacking on them.

WALNUTS – The king of all nuts, when it comes to omega-3 fat content, Walnuts also have one of the highest ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fats of any natural food. They have a high content of
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 that has the ability to thin the blood, helping prevent clots and heart attacks.

MACADAMIA – macadamia nuts are full of monounsaturated fatty acids. These health
fats can lower Cholesterol levels. At 58.9g of monounsaturated fats per 100 grams, macadamia have more health fats than any other nuts.

A recent study shows just a handful of these nuts daily for five weeks lowers raised cholesterol levels and improves the ratio of good (HDL) to bad(LDL), cholesterol in the body.

PECANS – This distinctive looking nut is a good source of vitamin E and also contains phytoestrogens. Pecans also contain two important minerals: potassium and magnesium. The latter works with calcium to make strong bones. And potassium helps regulate blood pressure, balancing the potentially harmful effects of sodium(salt) that can contribute to high blood pressure.

PISTACHIOS – packed with antioxidants, pistachios have several health benefits. The
anti-inflammatory nature of the nut also helps treat inflammation. They are high in potassium (good for blood pressure), calcium (for healthy bones and teeth) and vitamin E for good skin.

HAZEL NUTS– hazel nuts are excellent source of vitamin-E, they are exceptionally
rich in folate. (folate is an essential B-complex vitamin) which is a unique feature for these nuts.

PINE NUTS – Though small in size, pine nuts provide various health benefits.
They are rich source of magnesium and iron. They are loaded with health fats.