Healthy diets are on everybody’s list when it comes to leading a healthier lifestyle and taking care of our health, so we begin to look for all sorts of healthy foods that we should introduce them in our diets. Either we choose them because they are tasty, flexible when eaten and can be combined with a lot of other foods, or simply because they are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, some of the things that our body needs to function properly, each and every one of us should eat nuts. Yes, nuts may not be a food themselves, they’re more like a delicious and healthy dessert, but they surely don’t have any reasons for why to be skipped from all our diet plans.
Why Nuts?
There are plenty of reasons for why you should eat nuts on a daily basis, if it’s possible, but if not, you should know that there are 7 types of nuts that everyone should try and introduce in their diets. These are:
- walnuts
- almonds
- hazelnuts
- brazil nuts
- pine nuts
- pecans
- macadamia nuts
These nuts should be a staple in every person’s healthy diet. They are crunchy snacks with lots of nutritional benefits for the body, except the fat content you might be worried about.
Do you want to know what you will gain extra if you eat a handful of nuts every now and then? For starters, lots of antioxidants, fibers, omega 3 fatty acids, good fats and proteins, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, these two being able to decrease the levels of bad cholesterol and raising the good ones. How many and which of these benefits are found in the 7 types of nuts that all of us should eat every now and then? Let’s find out together!
Walnuts
They are called the kings of the nuts family by many people, because these have a very high nutritional value, which makes them a must-have for diet that you are following right now. In fact, what walnuts contain is: omega 3 fatty acids, proteins, antioxidants. However, the walnuts have something in particular that makes them unique, something that you can’t find in the other types of nuts: Ellagic acid, which is a substance that is able to fight against cancer and it can be found in fruits such as strawberries and pomegranate. It is said that the ellagic acid has a high and positive influence on the prostate cancer.
Also, these walnuts are full with polyphenols, and these are some very powerful antioxidants that can actually rid our system of free radicals, which we know to be dangerous. Because walnuts have proven to have the highest concentration of polyphenols, it is believed that they are able to fight against the chronic heart disease, acting in the favor of the reduction of the inflammation that is associated with a heart disease. Walnuts can also improve the flowing of the blood through all our body.
Hazelnuts
They have plenty of vitamin E in their concentration, 86 percent to be more exact and this only in a single serving. Even though lots of people don’t eat too much hazelnuts, it’s a shame because they are very rich in magnesium, which we know it is able to regulate the levels of the calcium that is found in our muscles. Magnesium also maintains the skeletal system’s health. Hazelnuts also contain the vitamin B complex, or at least some of them: vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, vitamin B3, also known as niacin, vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, vitamin B9, also known as folic acids, in high amounts actually.
Brazil nuts
Even if they have a overwhelming appearance that could easily scare people off, since they’re kind of big and dark, brazil nuts are filled with minerals that include the iron, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Besides these minerals, brazil nuts also contain selenium, which is an antioxidant that is able to free the system of the free radicals. Selenium can also improve the immune system and regulate the thyroid gland. The brazil nuts also have zinc in their composition, and this makes them an ideal food for the people that are having trouble with getting rid of the acne. There are other additional benefits that brazil nuts can offer to us, such as skin benefits thanks to the selenium that is able to trigger the glutathione, which in turn, fights against wrinkles and makes the skin look younger and healthier.
Pine nuts
It is a gluten free delicacy that you can enjoy, especially thanks to its versatility. You can add them on salads, eat them with pasta, or yogurt or other dishes. Pine nuts contain an acid called pinolenic, and this is one of the most important health benefits that this type of nuts has to offer to us, simply because we cannot take this unsaturated fatty acid from anything else.
Why is this acid good for us? Because it can help us with the weight management issues, being able to curb the hunger by releasing two hormones that are known for suppressing the hunger. These hormones are called GLP-1 and CCK. The pinoleic acid is also able to lower the levels of cholesterol, eliminating the LDL cholesterol from the liver, protecting it. Also, pine nuts protects the eye sight, because it contains a carotenoid that is able to fight with the age related macular degeneration.
Almonds
These have the biggest amount of fiber from all the other nut types. Also, almonds are supposed to help us with the weight loss, so if you want to lose a few pounds in the process, you should try to eat more almonds. Just like any other type of nut, almonds can also combat the high levels of the cholesterol, while is able to prevent the development of a heart disease.
Pecans
Are rich in antioxidants and contain a very important antioxidant for the heart’s health, called manganese. Copper is another important benefit provided by the pecans, along zinc and magnesium. These pecans also contain an oleic acid that is able to help the people that are suffering from diabetes. It is believed that the pecans’ oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid, is able to regulate the way the insulin and the glucose are developed inside our bodies.
Macadamia nuts
Because they are very high in monounsaturated fats, which are good for the heart’s health. Also, the monounsaturated fats are also good for the entire cardiovascular system. Macadamia nuts have a specific course of action: they can easily help us to modify the lipids that are found in our bloodstream, mostly by being able to reduce the LDL cholesterol levels, which in turn, decreases the chances of developing a cardiovascular disease.
Al things considered, these 7 types of nuts should definitely not leave your diet plans or be left outside, because they provide just too many benefits for our health to be ignored! So, what type of nut is your favorite?
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