Snacking with nuts is a great way to a healthful diet. With a simple single hand full of nuts, one can enjoy a power packed snack of energy and wholesome goodness. Eating something so rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and so much more can be a good start to living a healthy lifestyle. No matter which nut you choose there simply can be nothing better for the mind and body.
It is a known fact that approximately 80% of a nut is fat content. It is also known that nuts are a great health food as long as they are consumed in moderation. Eating nuts in large quantities can be fattening even in their natural state. When choosing the proper nut for your diet and health be sure it is not a processed nut with heavy salts, sweeteners and other additives that alter the true nature of a nut. Keep this is mind when using in nut recipes as this can greatly alter their natural content.
The fat content within many nuts are actually a good fat with mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats. These types of fat are what makes nuts a heart healthy way of snacking. All nuts contain unsaturated fats and these are the important fats that help lower LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol. On a better note, this same fat is also a major contributing factor to raising good cholesterol. No matter how you weigh out any options of snacking, one should always look into nuts as one of the best alternatives to a healthy balance to dieting.
When wanting to add flavor to any nut snack it is best to add it yourself in moderation. Adding any type of spice or flavor can be regulated with the results that are best for your diet. Finding that balance with creating a daily intake of nuts can be a tasty and rewarding fun. Baking, cooking and sprinkling nuts on pastries, breads and salads are just a few ways to enjoying a new and improved way of consuming nuts. Simply adding nuts into the batter of waffles, pancakes and muffins is a great idea but keep in mind the 1 cup rule of consuming nuts in a healthful way. When looking into this further one should find nut recipes that will bring more tempting ideas to the table.
Choosing nuts over many other snacks like chips, cracker and pretzels can be a life changing choice. Nuts have a major advantage of so many other available snacks, some of which cannot be attained in consuming processed snacks such as potato chips. The protein content of nuts alone is just one factor for those either on a non-red meat diet or for those looking to add a healthy alternative to consuming too much red meat. Protein within nuts also can help one feel fuller longer giving an advantage of snacking in between meals.
Other benefits of snacking with nuts include boosting one’s immune system, helping decrease the chances of several types of cancer, correcting heart disease issues, lowering blood pressure, fighting off strokes and Alzheimer’s disease. This is just a few improvements that can alter the body with eating nuts on a daily basis. No matter at what age you decide to eat nuts as a snack or as a food alternative, it can and will be a change for a healthier lifestyle.
There are so many other qualities of snacking with nuts that they could not all be listed in an entire book. Choosing a snack whether combined with nuts or solely eating nuts themselves is a choice one will have to go about finding on their own. Keep in mind the benefits of some types of nuts over several others. Some nuts have great qualities for health, others have a flavor quality that far outweigh their health benefits in many situations. From almonds to pine nuts to pistachios one can do no wrong in snacking with a healthy natural selection.
Liam Spelling is a health writer for a UK magazine.
Nuts Are Excellent Snack Material
