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Nuts make delicious snacks and it is very
tough not to go overboard with these
tasty snacks. Most people think that nuts
are high in calories and fat which might
jeopardize any weight loss program.
However, researchers have found that
there are many health benefits of nuts. It was found that people who eat nuts
regularly have lower risks of heart disease.
It was found that women who consumed
nuts more than four times a week were
40% less likely to die of heart disease.
Furthermore, potential health benefits of
nuts were also found among men. In 2002,
the Physician's Health Study found that
men who consumed nuts two or more times
per week had lower risk of sudden cardiac
death. It is thought that the unsaturated
fats in nuts - both monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fats - lower bad
cholesterol levels. Many nuts are also rich
in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are a
healthy form of fatty acids that seem to
help your heart by preventing dangerous
heart rhythms that can lead to heart
attacks.
Seven types of nuts have been said to
have this health claim. They are almonds,
hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine
nuts, pistachios and walnuts, as these nuts
contain less than 4g of saturated fats
per 50g. However, that does not mean you
should restrict yourself to these seven nuts
only.
In addition to the cardiac benefits of
consuming nuts, the risks of having a
stroke, of developing type-2 diabetes,
dementia, advanced macular degeneration
and gallstones have all been found to be
lowered by eating nuts. The more often
nuts are eaten the better, as the benefits
appear to increase as the frequency of
consumption increases.
Apart from that, nuts are one of the best
plant sources of protein. They are rich in
fibre, phytonutrients and antioxidants
such as Vitamin E and selenium. Nuts
are also high in plant sterols and fat
- but mostly monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats which have all been
shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
There is just one note of warning
though. British and American surveys
suggest that some people may be allergic
to one or more types of nuts. Both children
and adults can be affected and the most
common symptoms seem to be skin rashes
and hoarseness in the throat.
The best approach is to reap the
health benefits of eating nuts but not add
excessive calories to your daily intake. So
instead of simply adding nuts to your diet,
eat them in replacement of foods that are
high in saturated fats and limit your intake
of these tasty treats to 1 to 2 oz per day. |
