Healthiest Nuts to Buy at the Supermarket Today

According to experts at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota researchers have found that most nuts on the market today contain heart-healthy ingredients, like unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, L-arginine, fiber and Vitamin E. Nuts also have plants sterols which are known to help lower cholesterol. Nuts are an important addition to a heart-healthy diet.

What this means is that having a few peanuts at the ballgame may actually be good for you. It also means that you don't have to be afraid of the fat content usually associated with nuts. On the contrary, opting for nuts over fast food, chips and processed snacks probably improves your heart and health over your lifespan.

Eating nuts is a healthy snack option

Eating nuts each and every day can promote health and overall well-being. But, you don't have to overeat nuts to have a healthy diet. Rather, you just need to eat a handful of the right nuts eat day. That translates to about 1.5 ounces of nuts each day. To keep your portion control in check, you can put a 8-10 nuts on cereal or yogurt each morning, add a handful nuts to your lunch each day, or sprinkle nuts on your salad or vegetables at dinnertime. Keep in mind, a few nuts go a long way in a heart healthy diet.

Health care professionals at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggest that a balanced diet is centered on eating the right amounts and kinds of food and beverages. A healthy diet is critical and supplies your body with adequate energy and nutrition as well as keeps the cells, tissues, and organs in top form. Adding nuts and seeds to your diet can advance the cause.

All around best nuts for a healthy diet

Not all nuts are created equal. In fact, some are loaded in fat and calories, so best to be careful. What are the very best nuts at your supermarket today? Among them:

Almonds
Pistachios
Hazelnuts
Peanuts
Pecans
Pine Nuts

Best to steer clear of Macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts which have higher calorie counts. It's true, these nuts are especially delicious but they offer too much fat and calories if eaten on a daily basis. Also, avoid nuts that are overly salted, covered in sugar, or dipped in chocolate. While these nuts are surely the tastiest of the bunch, you may be cancelling out the health benefits of plain, raw or dry roasted nuts.

RESOURCES

Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
Mayo Clinic Staff, Mayo Clinic

Balanced Diet
National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health

Health Benefits of Nuts
By Gloria Tsang, RD for HealthCastle.com (2007)

American Heart Association
www.americanheart.org