(Source: get-a-thin-line)
5 Healthiest Nuts
Almonds
One serving of almonds consists of 24 nuts, 160 calories, 14 grams of fat (0 grams saturated fat!!), 6 grams of protein, and 3 grams of filling fiber! Besides all the heart healthy benefits, almonds are also beneficial to bone health because they contain nutrients such as calcium and magnesium.
Walnuts
One serving of walnuts consists of 14 halves (1 oz) 185 calories, 18 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein. As one of the highest plant sources of protein, walnuts also contain more omega 3 fats than other nut varieties. Walnuts have been shown to not only play a crucial role in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, but also in reducing levels of CRP (C-reactive protein, which is an independent marker of heart disease) by improving the elasticity of your blood vessels and reducing plaque accumulation. Eat a couple of these nuts after a meal high in saturated fat and you just might save your arteries!! (I always make Brandon crunch on some walnuts after he eats french fries).
In March 2004 the FDA even approved the following health claim:
“Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”
Pistachios
One serving consists of 49 kernels, 157 calories, 13 g Fat (2 g sat), 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g Fiber, 6 g protein. Not only are they loaded with 30 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, pistachios also contain a high amount of filling fiber! Their tiny shell packaging also makes binging a lot more labor intensive!
Pecans
One serving consists of 19 halves (1 oz), 20 g fat (2 g saturated), 4 g carbohydrate, 3 g Fiber, 3 g Protein. Pecans contain more antioxidants than any other variety of nuts. This is great news when it comes to fighting diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s!
Brazil Nuts
One serving consists of 8 nuts (1 oz), 190 calories, 19 g Fat (4 grams saturated), 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein. I had to add Brazil nuts to my list because they are a favorite! Brazil nuts are high in a nutrient called Selenium, which works with proteins in the body to form antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals (free radicals = damaging to the body)!
