Did you know that only one out of every four people in the United States eats nuts? While not many people in the United States enjoy eating a nut diet, there are tons of health benefits of nuts that you need to know about. While all nuts are good for you, it is important to know which nuts should you eat in order to get the healthiest nuts.
You’ll be surprised to discover that there are some amazing nut recipes out there for you to enjoy that will also help you become a healthier person. The good news is that you’ve come to the right place to learn everything you need to know about why you should make the switch to a nut diet.
Continue reading to learn about the five biggest benefits of enjoying a nut diet.
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What Are Nuts?
Before diving into the great benefits that nuts provide, you should learn more about what nuts are exactly. Nuts are seed kernels and they’re very useful in a variety of different recipes. They’re also great when enjoyed on their own in the form of a snack, like peanuts or cashews.
Nuts have a hard shell that is not edible and needs to be cracked to access the good part. Once you crack the shell, you’ll release the kernel and you’ll be ready to dig in. Most nuts you’ll buy from the store come pre-cracked for your convenience.
Some of the most popular nuts for human consumption are almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Now that you know about some of the popular types of nuts, you’re ready to learn about the benefits you’ll get from a nut diet.
1. Tons of Antioxidants
One of the great health benefits of switching to a nut diet is that there are tons of antioxidants in nuts. Antioxidants are great because they help to neutralize the free radicals in your body. Free radicals are rogue cells that cause damage to the otherwise healthy cells in your body. This puts you at increased risk for disease and illness.
Antioxidants are also great for lowering your body’s cholesterol levels. This is especially true if you eat whole almonds, as it is proven to lower your cholesterol by as much as 30 percent. This helps to prevent future heart disease.
2. Almonds Help With Weight Loss
When it comes to different nuts, almonds have the highest amount of fiber. In an ounce serving of almonds, you’ll get as much as four grams of fiber into your body. Getting the right amount of fiber into your body goes a long way to minimize the risk of heart disease diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.
Fiber has the added benefit of making you feel like you’re full. This will prevent you from overeating since you won’t feel like you can eat any additional food. Studies have found that eating 1.5 ounces of almonds as a snack is very effective for helping you lose unwanted weight.
Almonds also help with your gut health. They have different properties that help your gut keep a good balance of good types of bacteria that live inside of your stomach. For more tasty ways to enjoy almonds, check out these almond butters.
3. Cashews Help Lower Bad Cholesterol
Cashews are an amazing source of healthy fats as well as fiber and protein that your body needs to function at the highest levels. On top of that, they’re a good source of iron and zinc. Iron is important because it helps deliver oxygen to your body’s cells. Zinc, meanwhile, helps to boost your body’s immune system and keep you healthy. Zinc also helps you maintain your eyesight.
Another big benefit that people who eat cashews see is that it helps to lower the bad type of cholesterol in your body. This is especially true when cashews are compared to snacks that have high amounts of carbohydrates in them. Cashews help lower the LDL levels in people who have mild levels of bad cholesterol.
Another big benefit of eating cashews is that they have a lot of magnesium in them. Getting optimal levels of magnesium in your body has been shown to improve cognitive abilities. This is especially true in older adults that eat cashews.
4. Pecans Prevent Heart Disease and Diabetes
While pecans are best known for pecan pies, they bring a lot of benefits to the table that will make you want more. They’re great for improving heart health in humans because they’re high in antioxidants. These antioxidants help to keep plaque from building up inside of your arteries, preventing issues like heart disease and stroke.
It is also great for preventing Type-2 Diabetes. Studies have shown that eating 1.5 grams of pecans every day helps to improve insulin sensitivity inside of your body. This is very beneficial for curbing or stopping the onset of diabetes in adults.
5. Pistachios Help Lose Weight
Another great nut that you need to add to your nut diet is pistachios. Pistachios are low on calories, coming in at just four calories per nut. In addition to that, since they come in a shell they slow down how fast and how many you’re able to eat in a period of time. This alone is great for helping to lose unwanted body weight.
They also contain a ton of beneficial nutrients that help with making new cells and boosting the health of your heart. If you’re worried about your bone health, pistachios are a great choice since they contain vitamin K. This vitamin is known for its ability to help strengthen your bones.
Switch to a Nut Diet Today
Switching to a nut diet is a great way to boost your overall health and live a longer and happier life. Not only will eating nuts help you lose unwanted weight, but it will help keep your heart healthy while boosting your cognitive abilities. It will also help you prevent type-2 diabetes and lower your body’s bad cholesterol levels.
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