Health Benefits of Nuts
You can't spell nutritious without, that's right... 'nut.' Nuts are one of the healthiest snacks around, but often they're the last thing folks think of when it comes to snacking. Why is that? Well, oftentimes people think nuts are fattening, and that's why they won't allow themselves to indulge in them. The fact is, however, that although nuts tend to be high in calorie or fat content, most are also highly nutritious, and that means you eat less of them than many other types of snacks. Many of today's processed snacks are not only high in calories or both fat and calories, but they have little to no nutritional value. That means you eat more of them to feel satiated. Oftentimes an entire box or bag of these snacks can disappear in front of your eyes, and you're still hungry. Not so with nuts. Because their nutritional value is much higher, you feel satisfied after just eating a fraction of them. So eating nuts can even help you lose weight. But what are the other health benefits of nuts? Here are some top health tips about the various types of nuts and their nutritional content that will give you some very good reasons to add nuts to your daily diet.
Reduce inflammation
Some nuts, walnuts being an excellent example, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. That means they're especially good at reducing inflammation. Because they're also high in antioxidant content, walnuts are capable of fighting inflammation which can cause pain, and they're also great at reducing symptoms of cramps during menstruation, as well as reducing the effects of muscle injuries such as strains and sprains. So, the next time you or someone you love suffers an injury, include omega-3 and antioxidant-rich nuts on your shopping list, to help ease inflammation and reduce pain.
Aid weight loss
Some nuts, almonds for instance, are rich in one very important antioxidant, vitamin E. This fact makes them a powerful weight loss aid. The reason? It helps to lower bad cholesterol (LDL). In fact, in a recent medical study among obese subjects, the group who ate more nuts such as almonds not only lost more weight, but they also were able to sustain control of their blood sugar levels because of the complex carbs and antioxidants in the nuts they consumed.
Boost vision and brain function
Most nuts are quite high in their nutrient content. Some varieties, such as cashews, are rich in zinc and iron, two very important nutrients for vision and brain function. The first, zinc, is essential to proper immune function. It's also a vital nutrient for keeping eyes healthy and vision clear. The second, iron, is essential for aiding your body to get oxygen to your cells, helping your blood to remain healthy and to ward off such medical conditions of the blood as anemia.
Prevent disease
Your body can't fight off the many diseases you come into contact with nearly every day without proper immune function. And your immune system can't function properly without antioxidants. Your heart and other organs depend on these to ward off disease and keep you healthy. Most nuts, such as pecans, almonds, and walnuts, are antioxidant-rich, making them the perfect daily snack for preventing such disease processes in your body as heart disease, many cancers such as bone and breast cancer, and even for fighting such diseases as Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotropic lateral sclerosis) and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Nuts are one of nature's most perfect foods. They're delicious, nutritious, and there are so many different varieties, there's likely to be a favorite one for everybody. Once thought of as fattening enough to keep off a dieter's list of snacks, today nuts have become a favorite among dieters for their capacity to quell hunger and cravings alike. But that's only chapter one of the story of nuts. The rest of the story is that nuts can reduce inflammation; they can boost brain function; they can aid weight loss; they can even ward off cancer and other disease processes. For more information and top health tips about the various types of nuts, their nutritional value, and their health benefits, consult a healthcare professional such as dietician or nutritionist.
Reduce inflammation
Some nuts, walnuts being an excellent example, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. That means they're especially good at reducing inflammation. Because they're also high in antioxidant content, walnuts are capable of fighting inflammation which can cause pain, and they're also great at reducing symptoms of cramps during menstruation, as well as reducing the effects of muscle injuries such as strains and sprains. So, the next time you or someone you love suffers an injury, include omega-3 and antioxidant-rich nuts on your shopping list, to help ease inflammation and reduce pain.
Aid weight loss
Some nuts, almonds for instance, are rich in one very important antioxidant, vitamin E. This fact makes them a powerful weight loss aid. The reason? It helps to lower bad cholesterol (LDL). In fact, in a recent medical study among obese subjects, the group who ate more nuts such as almonds not only lost more weight, but they also were able to sustain control of their blood sugar levels because of the complex carbs and antioxidants in the nuts they consumed.
Boost vision and brain function
Most nuts are quite high in their nutrient content. Some varieties, such as cashews, are rich in zinc and iron, two very important nutrients for vision and brain function. The first, zinc, is essential to proper immune function. It's also a vital nutrient for keeping eyes healthy and vision clear. The second, iron, is essential for aiding your body to get oxygen to your cells, helping your blood to remain healthy and to ward off such medical conditions of the blood as anemia.
Prevent disease
Your body can't fight off the many diseases you come into contact with nearly every day without proper immune function. And your immune system can't function properly without antioxidants. Your heart and other organs depend on these to ward off disease and keep you healthy. Most nuts, such as pecans, almonds, and walnuts, are antioxidant-rich, making them the perfect daily snack for preventing such disease processes in your body as heart disease, many cancers such as bone and breast cancer, and even for fighting such diseases as Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotropic lateral sclerosis) and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Nuts are one of nature's most perfect foods. They're delicious, nutritious, and there are so many different varieties, there's likely to be a favorite one for everybody. Once thought of as fattening enough to keep off a dieter's list of snacks, today nuts have become a favorite among dieters for their capacity to quell hunger and cravings alike. But that's only chapter one of the story of nuts. The rest of the story is that nuts can reduce inflammation; they can boost brain function; they can aid weight loss; they can even ward off cancer and other disease processes. For more information and top health tips about the various types of nuts, their nutritional value, and their health benefits, consult a healthcare professional such as dietician or nutritionist.