July 17, 2008

Why You Should Be Adding Nuts To Your Diet

Not too long ago, it was advised that people should avoid large amounts of nuts in their daily diet because of their high calorie and fat content. In the 1990s, however, extensive research was conducted on nuts and their impact on the body, and not only were those recommendations completely reversed, but the findings were very surprising. Since then, many new health-related discoveries have pointed to nuts as an excellent source of protein and as having many benefits on the human body.

Yes – nuts contain a lot of fat, and they are relatively loaded with calories considering that they are a plant food. Our understanding of fat has changed, however, and we now know that most of the fat in nuts is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. These fats aren’t nearly as bad for you as others, aren’t as prone to causing weight gain, and most important of all, actually have the ability to lower your LDL cholesterol levels. In fact, nuts have actually been shown to be extremely good for your heart – modern studies have concluded that a proper daily amount of nuts can lower your chance for developing heart disease by as much as 35%. - Astounding news for a food that was once feared for it’s possible weight gain and destructive cardiovascular effects.

Nuts are also very rich in protein, and are one of the most plentiful sources of protein in plants. This is important because it offers a good source of protein, which is necessary for the body, but doesn’t have the negative side-effects on the heart such as red meats and other typical sources of protein. This makes nuts a wonderful addition to salads, and are in general highly recommended for vegetarian diets, which have a very difficult time meeting their body’s need for complete proteins.

New science has also proven that nuts are good for providing the body with energy. On top of being rich in proteins, nuts are also plentiful sources of fiber and antioxidants, especially the powerful selenium and vitamin E. This makes the benefit of nuts two-fold – not only can nuts provide a solid, stronger supply of energy to the body, but they are also able to ward off the damaging effects of free-radicals. Free-radicals have recently been associated with premature aging and the general breakdown of the body, but antioxidants are able to prevent them from doing this to the body.

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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