The Health Benefits of Nuts

The health benefits of nuts might surprise you, and you should consider making nuts a regular part of your diet.

Many people don't eat nuts because they are high in calories and fat, but nuts are actually quite good for you. They help keep your heart healthy, prevent some types of cancer, and improve digestion.

Here are the specific health benefits that nuts provide:

Nuts contain plenty of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Nuts are a good source of protein, especially for vegetarians.
Most of the fat in nuts is healthy unsaturated fat.
Nuts are high in fiber, so they fill you up and prevent hunger.
Nuts help keep your blood sugar stable.
Nuts promote cardiovascular health by reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol, oxidative stress and inflammation.
Nuts reduce the risk of some types of cancer, possibly by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

While nuts are calorie dense, studies have shown that people who eat nuts tend to be thinner than people who don't. If you're still worried that regular nut consumption will add too many calories to your diet, just make sure that you limit your intake to around 25-50 grams per day. Also, instead of simply adding nuts to your diet, you could eat them as a replacement for foods that are high in saturated fat or sugar.

You should avoid eating nuts that have been heavily processed, especially ones that are salted or coated with flavorings. These additives can significantly reduce the nutritional value of the nuts.

Here's a list of the healthiest nuts to consume: