Incorporating nuts into your daily diet can have tons of benefits that you may not be aware of. Each nut has its own individual perks, with different ones offering different advantages to your health. Here’s the skinny on which nuts to eat in your diet, and why they are so great.
Walnuts
Walnuts can provide you with tremendous health benefits. A serving of walnuts is 1 cup. Walnuts contain a considerable amount of fiber, with a single serving containing 7.8 grams of fiber. Fiber is important in a diet to help you stay regular and keep you feeling full for longer.
They have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and help with fatigue and dry skin. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to a pregnant woman as they help the fetus develop properly.
This nut has also been shown to help lower cholesterol, help with weight loss, act as an anti-inflammatory, and lower the risk of stroke.
Walnuts are high in calories, so they should only be eaten in moderation. They can be eaten in a variety of ways. Walnuts can be eaten plain as a snack, they can be cooked into baked goods, and can be combined in recipes as a substitute for protein.
Pecans
These nuts are particularly good for you. Pecans have more antioxidants than any other nut there is, and possibly more health benefits.
Pecans are a popular nut for both their taste and what they offer. Pecans have been shown to help lower blood pressure, fight breast cancer, improve memory and brain health, promote prostate health, and aid in weight management.
Pecans can be eaten cooked or raw. They can be roasted, baked, eaten in salads, or in trail mix. Pecans are a popular staple in the South, being most known as their important role in delicious pecan pie.
Almonds
This nut is considered to be among one of the world’s healthiest foods, even though they are high in fat and calories. While they are high in fat, it is mostly unsaturated fat, which is good for your heart. Almonds have been used before as a weight loss tool.
One serving of almonds is 1/4 cup. In one single serving, almonds contain 45% of the recommended dietary amount of vitamin E. The high unsaturated fats in almonds reduce your risk of heart disease and can lower the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) in your blood.
Almonds also contain 99 mg of magnesium per serving. Magnesium works in the body to improve blood flow and reduce the risk of heart attack and injury to the heart from free radicals.
There are also 257 mg of potassium per serving of almonds. Potassium helps to lower blood pressure and improve heart function.
They are most often eaten in small amounts as a healthy option for a snack. Almonds can be eaten plain or can be mixed in with other foods, such as baked goods or in a trail mix.