Benefits of eating nuts

General myths about eating nuts:

• Nuts are high in calories


• Nuts contains high cholesterol


• Nuts are rich in fat

Facts about nuts:

• Nuts have been used as a part of human diet for centuries.


• The fat content in nuts are mostly unsaturated fats, which helps to decrease the level of LDL 'bad' cholesterol and maintains the level of HDL 'good' cholesterol.


• Many studies have proved that those who take nuts regularly along with other healthy dishes have a significantly reduced risk of heart attack.


• The antioxidants present in nuts can help to fight some forms of cancer.


• Nuts are great sources of protein, Vitamin E, zinc, Calcium and Magnesium.


• Contrary to the popular belief, nuts do not contain cholesterol and are very low in saturated fat.


• A mixture of variety of nuts provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals like potassium, phosphorous, selenium, copper, thiamin etc.

Benefits of various nuts:

Walnuts: These are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Also contains potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper. Walnuts can help to lower the harmful LDL cholesterol.
Almonds: They contain good amounts of calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, zinc and phytochemicals which helps to protect against heart disease and cancer.
Pistachios: They contain good amount of Vitamin B along with protein and fibre.
Peanuts: They contain protein, fibre, thiamin, niacin and zinc in good amounts.
Cashew nuts: These contain good amounts of magnesium, zinc and phosphorous. Also contains some amounts of iron.

How much should your eat?
Stick to a few nuts per day. In a day about 4-6 of any of the larger nuts, tsp of any of the smaller nuts or 2 tsp of peanut butter should be good for a normal person.

Ways to use nuts in your diet:
As a snack between meals Garnish on desserts, ingredients in salads, topping on breakfast cereals and in milkshakes. As a snack, a handful of roasted nuts can beat hunger because of the protein and fat content.

Nuts for healthy weight loss:
Studies show that nuts contain a number of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber and antioxidants which are all important for any healthy weight loss program. The fat and fiber content in nuts make them very filling and satisfying and so people tend not to overeat them. Studies have shown that eating small amounts of nuts help people lose weight. One psychological benefit found was that people who ate nuts didn't feel like they were on a diet which helped them stay on it longer. Nuts should be eaten in controlled portions. The idea with eating nuts should be to replace other high fat foods such as chips, cookies and doughnuts. Roasted nuts have several health benefits but for maximum health benefits consume raw nuts. Eating nuts contribute to good health and with a healthy body you will more efficiently burn fat and lose weight more quickly.
So for good nutrition and good health, make nuts as part of your balanced diet.

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