Healthy Snacks: Top 5 Nuts to snack on!

While browsing through the grocery store, in search of a new snack that’s going to be healthy and still satisfy my 3pm snack attack at work, I stumbled upon the bulk section of nuts. I thought to myself, maybe I should look into the nutritional factors nuts have, since they’re always included in trail mixes …they must be healthy for you! The following are the top 5 healthiest nuts and reasons why they’re good for you.

PISTACHIOS:
Pistachios might be the best nut of all the nuts to eat! They are naturally free from all trans-fats, and only contain healthy unsaturated fats (mono and polyunsaturated). Pistachios are also the nut with the highest amount of antioxidants. These antioxidants paired with the lack of trans-fats allow for pistachios to support a healthy cardiovascular system. Pistachios also provide 3grams of fiber per serving, that’s more than many types of whole fruits

ALMONDS:
Almonds, like pistachios, have several health benefits associated with their consumption. Firstly, a handful of almonds has 25% of your daily requirements of magnesium and more calcium then the equal amount of pure cows mild. This is a perfect alternative for those of us who don’t get a lot of calcium in our diets from dairy products such as milk or cheese. Along with magnesium and calcium, almonds also provide the body with potassium, which has been proven to regulate and help lower blood pressure. Almonds also produce manganese, copper and riboflavin, all of which encourage the body to produce more energy!

WALNUTS:
Packed full of antioxidants (ellagic acid), walnuts contain 16 disease-fighting polyphenols. Walnuts are and excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. As well, Walnuts are multifunctional. They can be used in cooking, as well as in traditional medicines used to help protect skin from dryness including massage therapy, aromatherapy, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic medicine!

PEANUTS:
Peanuts are the most common of all the nuts and that is a good thing since their very healthy and can be found in most trail mixes, cereals and even ethnic food dishes. Peanuts are a great source of dietary proteins and amino acids that are essential in our growth and development during life. Peanuts are also rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids that help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol). They are an excellent source of several vitamins and minerals including; natural copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium and vitami
E. Recent studies have even shown that the natural antioxidant reveratrol found within peanuts is an active natural chemical that fights cancer, heart disease, nerve disease, Alzheimer’s and even viral infections!

PECANS:
Recent clinical studies have shown that pecans significantly lower cholesterol as well as provide the body with over 20 essential vitamins and minerals required in our diet. Studies have also shown that eating a handful of pecans a day can help protect the nervous system. That same handful of pecans can also help inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, or in other words prevent coronary heart disease.

Overall, nuts (when unsalted of course) provide the body with several healthy vitamins and minerals that can be beneficial to our overall health and well being. They all contain monosaturated fats that when consumed, satisfies your appetite and prevents over-eating. So go ahead and add some of these nuts to your daily diet!