7 Health Benefits of Nuts

Nuts are a healthy and nutritious part of any diet.  Here are 7 health benefits of nuts that you may not have heard before.
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1. Protein - nuts are full of natural protein, an essential macro-nutrient in your daily diet.
2. Unsaturated fats. It's not entirely clear why, but it's thought that the "good" fats in nuts — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower bad cholesterol levels.
3. Omega-3 fatty acids. 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, among other things, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in many kinds of fish, but nuts are one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Fiber. All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower your cholesterol. Fiber makes you feel full, so you eat less. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes.
5. Vitamin E. Vitamin E may help stop the development of plaques in your arteries, which can narrow them. Plaque development in your arteries can lead to chest pain, coronary artery disease or a heart attack.
6. Plant sterols. Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that can help lower your cholesterol. Plant sterols are often added to products like margarine and orange juice for additional health benefits, but sterols occur naturally in nuts.
7. L-arginine. Nuts are also a source of l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow.

How much should I eat?
As much as 80 percent of a nut is fat. Even though most of this fat is healthy fat, it's still a lot of calories. That's why you should eat nuts in moderation.  An average healthy diet can consist of anywhere between 20-40% fat.  So if you are eating a 2000 calorie per day diet, you're looking at around 600 calories from fat sources.  A 1/4 cup serving of mixed nuts is about 170 calories, with 17 grams of fat.  Or 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter have 200 calories or 16 grams of fat.  

I happen to love eating a slice of whole-grain toast every morning with peanut butter, then a 1/4 cup serving of nuts in the afternoon as a snack. So that's about 370 calories and 33 grams of fat.  Coupled with the natural fat I'd get from meats and other food, that's plenty.

The best way to think of nuts is as a healthy substitute for unhealthy sources of saturated fat that you'd get from baked goods, ice cream, potato chips, etc.

What kinds of nuts are most nutritious?
Most nuts appear to be generally healthy, though some more so than others. Walnuts are one of the best-studied nuts, and it's been shown they contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans are other nuts that appear to be quite heart healthy. And peanuts — which are technically not a nut, but a legume, like beans — seem to be relatively healthy.

The lowest-calorie nuts at 160 per ounce are almonds (23 nuts; 6 grams protein, 14 grams fat); cashews (16 to 18 nuts; 5 grams protein, 13 grams fat); and pistachios (49 nuts; 6 grams protein, 13 grams fat).  (source:  health.com)

Keep in mind, you could end up canceling out the heart-healthy benefits of nuts if they're covered with chocolate, sugar or excess salt.

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