BEST NUTS FOR YOUR HEALTH

Nuts are a gift from Mother Nature, an actually nutritional powerhouse which is loaded with heart-healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals.

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As nuts are high in fat and calories, a handful as a snack can keep you full until dinner while a few more handfuls can suppress your appetite altogether. Plus, nuts can become detrimental to any diet paired with salty or sugary mixes. Thus, what are the best nuts for your health?

Best nuts for your heart: Walnuts

Walnuts promote and maintain a healthy heart. secure3.convio.net

According to a 2009 Harvard analysis, people who ate walnuts improved cholesterol levels without weight gain. Walnuts are choked up with alpha linoleic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that helps protect the heart, making it one of nature best nuts for the heart health. Additionally, walnuts help shield your skeleton by reducing the rate of bone breakdown while keeping its formation constant.

Nutrients per ounce (14 walnut halves): 185 calories, 18 grams fat, 4 grams protein, 2.5 grams omega-3 acids and 2 grams fiber.

Best nuts for your brain: Peanuts

Peanuts. theharvestclub.org

Peanuts are rich in folate- a mineral essential for the brain development that may help prevent cognitive decline. Peanuts are also full of brain-boosting healthy fats as well as vitamin E. Therefore, peanuts become a great choice for vegans who can come up short on folate and pregnant women who need this type of mineral to protect their unborn babies from birth defects.

Nutrients per ounce (28 unshelled nuts): 170 calories, 14 grams fat and 7 grams protein.

Best nuts for men: Brazil nuts and Pecans

Brazil nuts. fitlife.tv

Brazil nuts are loaded with selenium, a mineral that may protect against prostate cancer and other diseases. However, a recent research has hinted that too much selenium can be associated with the risk of type-2 diabetes. An ounce of Brazil nuts (6 nuts) contains 190 calories, 19 grams fat and 4 grams protein.

Pecans are packed with beta-sitosterol, a plant-based steroid that may help relieve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate. Besides, pecans contain high levels of antioxidants and a heart-healthy type of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol that helps protect against unhealthy oxidation of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood- a factor for your risk of plaque build-up and heart disease. One ounce of pecans (18 to 20 halves) contains 200 calories, 21 grams fat and 3 grams protein.

Best nuts for disease prevention: Almonds

Almonds in a bowl. authoritynutrition,.com

Just 23 almonds a day provide one third of your daily vitamin E dose- a type of antioxidants that Americans don’t get enough, according to American Dietary Guidelines. Vitamin E helps fight against dangerous inflammation and possible health conditions like lung cancer and age-related cognitive decline. Moreover, relatively low in calories, almonds contain more calcium than any other nuts, making them a great choice to stay healthy.

Nutrients per ounce (23 almonds): 160 calories, 33% daily value for vitamin E, 20% daily value for magnesium, 6 grams protein and 3 grams fiber.

Best nuts for your diet: Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews

Cashews and Pistachios. fastachi.com

Their mix of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein will help you stay full and suppress your appetite. The lowest-calorie nuts at 160 per ounce are almonds (23 nuts with 6 grams protein and 14 grams fat), cashews (16 to 18 nuts with 5 grams protein and 13 grams fat) and pistachios (49 nuts with 6 grams protein and 13 grams fat). However, avoid consuming nuts packaged or roasted in oil because roasted nuts may be heated in hydrogenated or omega-6 unhealthy fats or at high temperature, nuts can lose their nutrients; instead eat them raw or dry roasted.