Health Benefits of Nuts

Nuts are grown all over the world. On every continent and for thousands of years, nuts have been an important food for humans. Especially in India, nuts are an intrinsic part of traditional dietary patterns. In the 1980s, all nuts were condemned by many nutrition professionals as they used to believe that "nuts are fattening," for the average diet. Today, Modern research showed that "A Balanced diet with nuts is helpful to reduce the risk of Heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes".

Even now, There is a wrong notion among the many individuals that nuts are high in calories and fat and regular consumption on nuts leads to the increase of weight. I must say "They are right", nuts are quite calorically dense. But if consumed in limited quantities, they provide a great source of protein as well yield numerous nutritional and health benefits. This is the reason why Most physicians and nutritionists now encourage consumers to replace sweet and salty snacks with unsalted nuts.

The following are the Healthiest nuts to consume

1. Almonds
2. cashews
3. Peanuts
4. Pecans
5. Pinenuts
6. Pistachios
7. Walnuts
8. Hazelnuts
All these nuts are rich sources of nutrients like plant proteins, vitamins A, E and folate, trace minerals like calcium, , potassium, magnesium, selenium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and phosphorus, fiber, heart-friendly fats (mono and poly unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids), and antioxidants.

Here is why nuts are so important to your health:

1.Reduce the risk of heart disease: The fats found in nuts are primarily unsaturated fatty acids which have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and reduce low-density lipoprotein. Omega-3 fatty acids present in nuts lower levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream. Some nuts also contain plant sterols which help lower your cholesterol. By just eating 140 grams (around five ounces) of nuts per week you can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 35%. Another study found that women who ate nuts 4 times per week were 40 percent less likely to die of heart disease.

2. Good source of Protein: Nuts are very high in protein. All eight essential amino acids which we humans need in our protein intake are present in peanuts. Most nuts are high in the amino acid Arginine that helps widen and relax blood vessels.

3. Lower blood pressure levels: Nuts contain l-arginine that enhances the production of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps relax the arteries and make them more flexible and less prone to blood clots resulting in improvements in high blood pressure levels.

4. Make bones stronger: Most nuts are a very good source of potassium, calcium and phosphorus which are required for stronger bones. In fact, a quarter cup of almonds has almost as much calcium as a quarter cup of milk. Peanuts also contain Lysine which is necessary for calcium absorption.

5. Extra fiber: Nuts are a good source of fiber which provides bulk to help food move through the digestive tract. It also promotes a feeling of fullness, therefore, making you eat less and thus keeping your weight loss effort in check. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes. 25 grams of peanuts contains about 8% of the fiber you need each day.

6. Low GI: Nuts have a low glycemic index which means they slowly release sugar into the bloodstream. This protects your vital organs from being impaired by excessive amounts of sugar and reduces your risk of Diabetes.

7. Full of antioxidants: Nuts are a rich source of antioxidants. These help in lowering oxidation of fatty deposits in the walls of blood vessels to help protect cells from tissue damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals are the main cause of premature aging and the general breakdown of the body.

8. Rich source of Potassium: Potassium is essential for a healthy nervous system and needed by all of the muscles in the body, including the heart. It aids regular heart rhythm and muscle contraction and blood flow.

9. Best sources of vitamin E: Almonds and peanuts are considered excellent sources of vitamin E. It protects against conditions related to oxidative stress such as aging, arthritis, cataracts, diabetes and infections.

10. Energy Booster: Nuts also provide important minerals like potassium, magnesium and zinc which are necessary for energy production.

CONCLUSION: Even though nuts are high in healthy fats, these healthy fats are also high in calories. When consumed too much and too frequent, the excess calories from nuts can lead to weight gain. Eating nuts in moderate quantities (around 25-50g per day) can be apart of a nutritional plan that can improve health and body weight. So everyone of us should incorporate nuts in our diet.