Why You Should Be Adding Nuts To Your Diet

About 15 years ago scientists were critical of nuts and their place in nutrition. All that was known about them was that they were high in fats and high in calories, so they were written off as a fast way to gain weight and probably were bad for your arteries. Since then, however, we have learned much more about nuts, and better understand how they interact with the body, and the conclusions we have drawn about them are completely different from our previous thoughts.

While it’s true that nuts are very fatty and have a highly concentrated calorie content with roughly 200 kilocalories per ounce, they aren’t nearly as fattening as they seem. A vast majority of the fat in nuts is either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. These fats aren’t as detrimental to weight gain to others, and more importantly, they have the ability to lower LDL cholesterol. This is very important considering today’s push for cardiovascular-friendly foods, and as it turns out, nuts seem to have a very positive impact on the heart. Many studies have been done in recent years concerning nuts and their effect on the heart, and the general consensus is that a diet consisting of regular nut intake can lower your chance for heart disease by as much as 35%.

It’s never been a secret that nuts are very high in protein. This is great news, as it means that nuts are a good source of protein, necessary for the body, but instead of having the negative side-effects on the heart like most sources of whole proteins, nuts are actually beneficial. Because of this, nuts are a staple in vegetarian diets, because they contain the complete proteins that are so difficult to construct by eating plants alone.

Nuts are also good sources of energy. They contain high amounts of calories, but also contain a lot of fiber and, more importantly, antioxidants. Antioxidants have recently been celebrated for their anti-aging properties. Our bodies are constantly subject to free-radicals, harmful agents that damage our body and cause premature aging and drastically lowered energy levels. As a premium source of powerful antioxidants such as selenium and Vitamin E, nuts can help ward off the unwanted effects of premature aging and help the body maintain a steadier energy level throughout the day.

On studies involving nuts in daily diet, results showed that nearly all forms of nuts had similar effects, though the most beneficial nuts today are generally considered to be peanuts, almonds, and cashews. These studies also suggest that a good daily dosage of nuts be between 1 to 2 ounces to see receive the best benefit. While they are very healthy, nuts can be a rather addicting snack, and combined with their elevated levels of calories can cause weight gain if you don’t exercise a little discipline with your snacking. Fortunately, nuts also satisfy hunger very well.

The view of nuts in regard to health has changed drastically in the past 18 years as more has been discovered about their true potential. Adding an ounce or two of nuts to your daily diet can have a very positive impact on your health, especially where your heart is concerned. Just make sure you keep in mind that they are a high-calorie food, and when you add nuts to your diet, it is generally best to substitute another food for them instead of adding them onto the side. Where they were once feared as a weight-gain nightmare, we now know that these foods are especially beneficial to the body, as long as you don’t go overboard with them.

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