Are You Nuts For Nuts?
You get vitamin E and B6, fiber, niacin, cooper, folic acid, zinc, some amino acid, a little magnesium and potassium and as an added benefit nuts are good for your heart. Plus they have fat in them, the good kind and everyone knows we need a little fat in our bodies to stay healthy.
I almost forgot the big one-nuts are cholesterol-free.
So grab a bowl of nuts, sit back and relax and I'll fill you in on the nut scene.
The Caveman Diet
The History of Why We Eat Nuts...
We, that is humans, started out as hunters of nuts and fruit. Sometime before last year we started eating meat. I have always wondered why (we started eating meat, that is)?
Anyway, the cavemen live on nuts, fruit and berries and then developed the rock to take out the dinosaurs and eat them. Since I'm pretty sure dinosaurs ate more people than man ate dinos, the cavemen, or I should say cavepeople, had to have some type of protein.
And nuts are full of protein!
So there you have it, the history of man and why we still eat nuts.
Are you still nuts?
What Kind Of Nuts Are There?
Here, let me list them...
Almonds, Walnuts, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Macadamia, Pistachio, Chestnuts, Pine, Cashews, Brazil nuts, are the most popular nuts.
Plus all the nuts in pumpkin, watermelon, sunflower, sesame, mustard, pumpkin, cumino, fennel, nigella, squash, tomato, pear, and all the other nuts which we call seeds, you can eat.
Most time people don't even realize they're eating nuts because they're just part of the fruit we eat everyday. The nuts we call nuts are actually the seed of the plant.
With the exception of the poisonous plants we can eat any of the seeds from any plant or tree. There is a reason we eat the healthy nuts we do.
Would you like to know why?
Nuts That Are Good And Healthy
What Leslie of Everett, Washington Says
Healthy Nuts: Your Guide to the Healthful Benefits of Nuts
Amazon Price: $5.55 (as of 05/31/2012)
I enjoyed reading this. I'm one of those people who feels unsure about eating a lot of fat, and this book put my mind to rest about fat. There is so much information in this book about nuts, not only about nutrition but where it came from and such. The only thing that would improve Healthy Nuts is adding a few recipes, but they do give ideas for how to use nuts.
The Big Daddy of Healthy Nuts
When it comes to healthy nuts, the walnut is the king. It's a great source of the healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids, which have been found to protect the heart, promote better cognitive function, and provide anti-inflammatory benefits for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and psoriasis. The same fat in fish by the way. The good kind!Walnuts also contain the antioxidant compound ellagic acid, which is known to fight cancer and support the immune system.
But that's not all--in a study in the August 2003 issue of Phytochemistry, researchers identified 16 polyphenols in walnuts, including three new tannins, with antioxidant activity so powerful they described it as "remarkable."
Walnuts are incredibly healthy for the heart. A study in the issue of Circulation found that when walnuts were substituted for about one-third of the calories supplied by olives and other monounsaturated fats in the Mediterranean diet:
» Total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol were reduced
» The elasticity of the arteries increased by 64 percent
Incredible, isn't it? So add walnuts to everything...
Nuts are loaded with Vitamin A that benefit your vision, tissues, skin, teeth, and hair
And Your Favorite Nut is...
Everybody's Favorite Healthy Nut...
Cashews are lower in fat than most nuts, and 65 percent of this fat is unsaturated fatty acids. Of this, 90 percent is oleic acid, the heart-healthy fat found in olive oil.Plus, cashews are rich in copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and biotin.
Did you know that cashews grow on the outside of the cashew fruit?
Yep, it true. In South America where most cashews grow they sell the fruit locally. It's to bad too cuz the fruit is very delicious but it doesn't transport well and only has a ripe life of about 4 days.
Nuts are loaded with Vitamin B-1 that helps maintain healthy nerves and improve memory and mental clarity
Pecans Have How Many Vitamins...
One of the best for a healthy heart!
Pecans are an excellent source of over 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamins E and A, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, several B vitamins and zinc.Plus, according to Sue Taylor, R.D., director of nutrition communication for the National Pecan Shellers Association, "Recent clinical research studies evaluating the impact of pecans on serum cholesterol have found pecans can significantly help lower blood cholesterol when consumed as part of a heart-healthy diet."
In fact, a study from New Mexico State University found that eating 3/4 cup of pecans a day may significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and help to clear the arteries.
The Only Guide On Heart Healthy Nuts
Healthy Nuts: Your Guide to the Healthful Benefits of Nuts
Amazon Price: $5.55 (as of 05/31/2012)
The author tells about the healthy benefits of eating "all natural" nuts as a part of everyone's diet. He details how tree nuts and peanuts are a great and provide a satisfying snack and compliment food--that will help you lose weight.
I learned the "fat" in nuts is healthy. The "low fat/fat free" free diets make you eat twice as much with half the satisfaction. Great recipies and ideas!
Ya! Nuts Are Cholesterol-Free
Favorite Healthy Sites I Visit
Feel free to come along...
- Natural Herbal Remedies
- Natural herbal remedies and recipes that will prevent and reverse disease, illness and viruses.
- Container Herbs
- A terrific site showing all kinds of container to grow herbs in...Some I would never have ever thought to use.
- A Frugal Gardener
- A hugh site covering ever aspect of gardening there is. From water gardening to growing herbs to making your own natural herbal remedies.
Facts About Pistachio
Did You Know...
» A one-ounce serving of pistachios equals 49 nuts -- more nuts per serving than any other nut and contains more than 10% of the Daily Value for dietary fiber, vitamin B-6, thiamin, phosphorus and copper.» You can get more dietary fiber from a serving of pistachios than a 1/2 cup of broccoli or spinach.
» Pistachios are especially rich in phytosterols, which are directly associated with lowering cholesterol levels, and may offer protection from certain types of cancer.
» A serving of pistachios has as much thiamin as a 1/2 cup serving of cooked rice.
» The amount of vitamin B-6 in a one-ounce serving of pistachios is comparable to a standard three-ounce serving of pork or chicken.
» One serving of pistachios has as much potassium as half a large banana.
» Pistachios are a very high quality plant source of protein, providing adequate and balanced amounts of essential amino acids. In addition, pistachios are relatively high in a nonessential amino acid, arginine, which may play a potential role in prevention or reduction of cardiovascular disease.
» While pistachios contain fat, the fat is predominantly monounsaturated, similar to that found in olive oil. That's the good kind!
How Fat Nuts Provide A Range Of Health Benefits
That is, the good fat in nuts...
Healthy Nuts: Your Guide to the Healthful Benefits of Nuts
Amazon Price: $5.55 (as of 05/31/2012)
This book shows how nuts can play a significant role in disease prevention.
Vitamin B-2 helps fight infection, and aids in transporting oxygen to cells in the body
The Cholesterol Lowering Macadamia Nuts
Tests at Hawaii University proved it...
» Macadamia nuts are high in monounsaturated fatty acid ('good' fat), which can help reduce overall cholesterol levels. Eighty percent of fat in macadamia oil is monounsaturated - six percentage points higher than olive oil, which checks in at 74 percent.» Macadamias contain flavenoids (a phytochemical) and tocopherols (vitamin E), which are potent antioxidants and can help protect against cancer and heart disease.
» Macadamias contain vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and iron.
» The macadamia nut is one of the few foods that contain palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. In a recent study, indicators suggest the palmitoleic acid may actually aid in fat metabolism, possibly reducing stored body fat.
» Macadamia nut oil contains Omega 3, known to reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Nuts are loaded with Vitamin E helps protect against cancer, improve immune function and slows the aging process
If You Eat Almonds Do You Still Need Bananas?
Just a quarter cup of almonds contains nearly 25 percent of your needed daily value of the important nutrient magnesium, plus is rich in potassium, manganese, copper, the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, and calcium. In fact, a quarter cup of almonds has almost as much calcium as a quarter cup of milk.They're also great for the colon. An animal study on the effects of almonds on colon cancer found that animals (which were exposed to a colon-cancer-causing agent) given whole almonds had fewer signs of colon cancer than animals given almond oil or no almonds. Researchers suspect the benefit may be due to almonds' high fiber content.
Plus, almonds are one of the best nuts for lowering cholesterol because 70 percent of the fat they contain is the healthy monounsaturated variety, which has been shown to help clear arteries.
Learing about what can keep you healthy...
Tell Us About Your Nuts...
Your favorite heart healthy nut, that is!
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KittySmith
Jan 21, 2009 @ 1:19 pm | delete
- Wow! What a great Lens, I loved reading about the different health benefits. Your poll was fantastic, I almost ticked my husband, but he would definitely be right behind the pistachio.
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raw_nutrition
Jan 17, 2009 @ 11:33 pm | delete
- Yep, that is me. I am "nuts for nuts". Ha ha.
I am familiar with the many benefits of nuts from fiber to vitamin E. But I had no idea that there was an animal "study" on colon cancer and nuts. Way cool.
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hzemel
Jan 11, 2009 @ 11:13 pm | delete
- Some great facts on nuts. Antioxidants and fiber are very important in the diet, and it is great to know that delicious nuts are such a great source.
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joshel
Jan 8, 2009 @ 5:39 pm | delete
- I really like the article and information on heart healthy nuts, I love nuts and think they also very good for you
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zigaroo
Jan 8, 2009 @ 3:42 pm | delete
- I like cashew nuts the best but I like quite a few others. I feel very lucky because here in Florida where I live we have pecan trees all over the place and I can go pick them for free off the ground in a few places. I'm a lucky boy I guess. Too Bad cashews don't grow here. But I love the pecans a lot too.
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