It seems that the health and fitness industry has gone nuts. Well, nutritionally, at least and for a good reason. Nuts are crunchy little gems of heart healthy unsaturated fat and protein which is why they are the perfect pre and post exercise snack. While they are high in fat they contain no cholesterol. Clinical studies have shown that nuts are beneficial to lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
They come in many varieties each with its own healthful benefits. All nuts are a rich source of potassium as well as magnesium, copper and iron, minerals that are often lacking in our diets. Almonds are a great source of Vitamin E and calcium. Walnuts are high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Hazelnuts are a great source of folate. Pistachios are abundant in calcium, copper and iron. And they're all delicious! So good that sometimes it's easy to just keep munching. Here are some helpful tips.
- Eat no more than 1.5 ounces or 1/3 cup a day. That's roughly 225 calories depending on the nut.
- Measure a portion and stick with it.
- Only buy raw or unsalted dry roasted nuts
- Store them in the freezer to increase shelf life. Nuts go rancid easily.
- Add them to salads, yogurt and oatmeal for extra crunch
My favorite new way to enjoy nuts is the old-fashioned way. I buy them in the shell. I put a bowl of them on the coffee table with a nutcracker and crack open a few while I'm reading. Here are the benefits to buying them in the shell.
- It slows down your eating so you feel full sooner. No temptation to eat the whole jar!
- It 's a workout!
- Nuts in the shell have a longer shelf life
- Seeing them in the shell gives you a connection to their earthly source
- Makes a nice display on your coffee table...always a plus
So, get cracking and go nuts! It's the perfect snack.
