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Monday, December 3, 2007

Nuts and Their Amazing Health Benefits

Nuts and Their Amazing Health Benefits by Cole Carson

It wasn't very long ago that nuts were feared. They were considered a dieting disaster, with far too high a fat and calorie content to be anything but bad for you! Recently though, extensive studies have shown that the opposite is actually the case. - Nuts are incredible for the human body. Recently there have been many health discoveries showing that nuts are a wonderful protein source that are great for everyone, and should be added to our diets.

Nuts are a food that is high in both fat and calories, but that information alone is misleading, and due to our better understanding of fat, we now know that this is not sufficient reason to avoid nuts. Most of the fat content in nuts happens to come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which do not contribute to weight gain as much as other fats and are much better for the body. Furthermore, these types of fats have been shown to have the ability to decrease bad LDL cholesterol, making nuts good for the heart. Studies have been done on the relationship between nuts and heart health, and the results show that a regular diet consisting of nuts can actually lower your chances for developing heart-related disease by as much as thirty-five percent.

It's never been a secret that nuts are very high in protein. This is great news, as it means that
nuts are a good source of protein, necessary for the body, but instead of having the negative side-effects on the heart like most sources of whole proteins, nuts are actually beneficial. Because of this, nuts are a staple in vegetarian diets, because they contain the complete proteins that are so difficult to construct by eating plants alone.

Eating nuts can also be a great way to increase your energy throughout the day. Nuts are a great source of antioxidants, which everybody knows are wonderful for helping to retard the aging process. Antioxidants are best known for their ability to fight off free radicals. - Harmful agents that damage the body, lowering energy levels and causing premature aging. Because nuts are such a great source of antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium, they can benefit your body in the fight against premature aging and improve your energy levels.

Research has indicated that while almost all nuts have similar benefits on the body, the ones regarded as the most beneficial are almonds, cashews and peanuts. These studies suggest that 1-2 ounces a day is a good, moderate serving in which the body will receive the greatest benefits. Nuts, while they are healthy, can be an addictive food, and because they do contain a good bit of calories, one must make sure that they keep in check just how many they eat. Fortunately for everyone, nuts are great at satisfying hunger.

Overall, nuts are a powerful food that is packed with surprising and astounding benefits. Their ability to reduce the risk of heart disease while protecting against aging and providing solid energy levels makes them a highly desired health food, as long as a person keeps their intake levels low. They are still loaded with calories, and can contribute to weight gain if high levels are consumed on a regular basis. If you keep your intake down, however, you'll notice remarkable improvements in your health, and you can rest easier at night knowing that you are helping your heart and bettering your chances at escaping cardiovascular disease.

About the Author

Cole Carson is a successful entrepreneur interested in the fields of natural health and wellness! Spiffy, the Himalayan Goji Juice dog is the newest up and coming star! Learn why he loves Goji Health Juice so much!

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