With loads of healthy benefits, getting your fill of nuts is a tasty way to good health
The spolight was cast on nuts when walnuts hit the health headlines back in 1993. It was found by New Englanf of Medicine that eating 84g(3oz) a day reduced bad (LDL) cholesterol and improved the ratio of good (HDL) to bad cholesterol. Nowadays, nuts and seeds are well known for their super healthy benefits. Full of omega 3 fats, they are also rich in protein and contain lots of fibrre, which is missing from oter protein rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Theu have a low-Gi(glycaemic index) ranking meaning
they slow carbohydrate digestion and prevent blood suger highs and lows, leaving you energised for longer. They are also a brilliant source of minerals, vitamins and phytoestrogens. And they taste nice. Not bad for such little fellas, we reckon.
Brasil nuts
These big fellas are especially high in selenium, an important mineral that is not always easy to find in the EU diet. Selenium works as an antioxidant with vitamin E, and it has long been used by athletes at the Colgan Institute in California, mopping up free redicals produced after intensive exercise.
IN fact, a recent study from New Zealand revealed that brazil nuts are nearly as effective as selenium supplements in rising selenium levels. And a handful will help you more than reach your quota (the recommended daily intake of selenium is 75 mcg). A recent study found just 2 brazils a day provide 53 mcg of selenium, and raise blood selenium levels by about 60 per cent.
Brazils are also the nut richest in phytoestrohens, which can help protect against osteoporosis. What is not to like ?
Almonds
These contain more fibre and more vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, than any other nut. They are also rich in magnesium, essential for the smooth functioning of the nervous system (magnesium protects the sheath which encloses many nerves in the brain and spinal cord). Plus, around 20 almonds contain as much fibre as an apple or orange, so they are great for digestion.
Walnuts
The king of all nuts when it comes to omega-3 content, walnuts also have one of the highest ratios of polyunsaturated(good) to saturated (bad) fats (7:1) of any natural food. Plus they have a high content of alpha-linolenic acid(ALA), a type of omega-3