NUTS are nutrient dense food with excess of fiber, phenolic acids, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, fatty acids and antioxidants. Adding nuts in our daily diet can help reduce a number of diseases. Although they are high in calories but taking a specific amount of nuts can complement the healthy diet.
Nuts consumption have reportedly increased in the world which have shown some positive effects on human health. Nuts as the powerhouse of energy are loaded with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that help our body to lowers the amount of ‘bad cholesterol’ or LDL levels and increase our ‘good cholesterol’ or HDL levels. Nuts are also the excellent source of fat soluble vitamins like vitamin E and water soluble vitamins like niacin B1, folic acid B9 and biotin. Nuts also provide body with iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants.
Scientific evidences have shown that daily intake of nuts saves us from cardiovascular diseases by improving our lipid profile. They also have a wide range of health benefits. They improve blood pressure, upgrade immune system, ameliorate gastrointestinal track GIT, refine skin and mental health, provide assistance in weight loss, help in controlling diabetes, lower the risk of many cancers including colorectal and prostate cancers and inhibit the formation of gallstones. Basically one can say:
Nuts are small factories of nutrients that help prevent numerous diseases.
This is why we need to add nuts in our daily diet? Here are the Top 5 Healthiest Nuts That Can Help You Stay Disease Free
HAZELNUTS
Hazelnuts are also known as filbert. One of the main characteristic of hazelnuts is that it contains a large quantity of folic acid. Folic acid is essential for normal growth of developing child. Folic acid helps in the production of new cells and prevent DNA mutations. Formation of red blood cell is dependent on folic acid concentrations in the body.
Eating hazelnuts during pregnancy can prevent congenital disorder in children. Hazelnuts also have excess of nutrients, they are rich in protein. Minerals like potassium which is important for nerve transmission in the body, is present in hazelnuts. Antioxidants like phenolic acid are present in excess amount in hazelnuts. Phenolic acid relief the oxidative stress. They may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
CASHEW NUTS
All nuts have their unique features. Cashew nuts have been eaten in the whole world because if it’s distinctive taste and health benefits. Cashew nuts have high quantity of antioxidants, minerals like cupper and selenium and iron.
Iron as a part of blood cells is the key nutrient for body. Cupper being also the part of blood system plays an important role in body. Cashews are protein rich nuts. Protein is important for tissue building and muscle building. If you want to gain healthy weight than add cashew nuts in diet. Cashew nuts have ZINC which can upgrade or boost immune system. Boosting immune system helps fighting many diseases as immune system is the defense machinery of the body.
PISTACHIO NUTS
Now a days everyone wants to lose weight. People love to eat food that are low in calories. Pistachio have its peculiar features and that is low in calories. So if you are planning to lose weight, surely add pistachio nuts in diet. Besides having weight loss characteristics, pistachio is rich in proteins which makes you feel full for longer and as a result you eat less. This thing indirectly contribute to weight loss.
Pistachio are also rich with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and especially fatty acids that help control cholesterol levels and keep in check blood sugar levels and blood pressure. They can also help lowering chances of arthrosclerosis which is the narrowing of blood vessels and can cause stroke.
WALNUTS
Walnuts are the only nuts in the group of tree nuts that have a salient feature and i.e. omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids play a chief role in the development of brain as they contribute 40% of total brain structures. Omega 3 fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory effects. Walnuts should be the part of diet if the person is vegetarian or have bad heart condition. Walnuts keep a check on heart rhythms and can lowers the cholesterol level.
Eating walnuts before going to bed induce a good sleep as they can regulate our sleep cycle. They are also rich with antioxidants like vitamin E. Antioxidants protects body from free radicals that can travel freely in body and can damage it. They also help in fighting against cancers and chronic heart conditions.
ALMONDS
Is it good to eat a food high in fat? Almonds are the answer to this question. Almonds are rich inmonounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. But these fatty acid are of interest for healthy skin and mental health. Moreover these fatty acids protect from chronic hearth conditions and maintains the Blood pressure within normal range.
Almonds have 25mg of Vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant that helps fighting against various diseases like cancer and coronary heart conditions. They also have large quantities of dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin.
Dietary Fiber helps in treating colon cancers and relief constipation and lower the risk of developing diabetes. Calcium is the key nutrient for bone health. 99% calcium is stored in bone. Riboflavin is the key vitamin for iron absorption. It is also important for the normal development of brain. That’s why almonds should be added in diet of children for their normal growth.
All in all nuts are the house of nutrients and prevent numerous diseases including heart diseases, skin problems, have anti-inflammatory effect, have fatty acids and antioxidants. Adding these in specific quantity in diet can really reduce risk characteristics of these diseases. But as excess of anything is bad so taking these nuts in regulated amount is necessary.