*People with advanced heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes should substantially limit (4-5 nuts a day max.) or entirely avoid the consumption of nuts and oils.
Weight loss isn’t the only benefit found in almonds, walnuts, cashews and the like. Nuts contain high content of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fat. Just one-quarter cup of walnuts provides nearly 91 percent of the recommended daily value for this healthy fat.
Nuts lower bad cholesterol levels, and are a source of l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots.
Aside from helping to protect against heart disease and stroke, omega-3 fats have been found to offer protection against a wide range of illnesses, from cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, to inflammatory bowel disease and depression. All nuts contain fiber, Vitamin E, and sterols, a substance that can help lower cholesterol.
Healthy Nuts include:
- Macadamia
- Hazelnuts
- Brazil Nuts
- Pine Nuts
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Coconut
- Pecans
Note: We don’t include Peanuts in the list of healthy nuts due to their content of Aflatoxin. Aflatoxin B1 has been classified as a known human carcinogen and is known to cause liver cancer in animals. Aflatoxins may also be associated with liver cell cancer in humans in Africa and Asia where peanuts are a dietary mainstay. Recent research has shown a strong association between long-term dietary aflatoxin exposure in conjunction with hepatitis B (a viral infectious disease of the liver) and increased rates of liver cancer. While “nut” is in their name, peanuts are in fact legumes. Peanuts actually grow underground, as opposed to nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc. that grow on trees (and are sometimes referred to as “tree nuts”).
May 8, 2017
If you have heart disease ,high blood pressure follow a plant base diet and no oils ! no nuts ! Follow Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. ..plant base diet for heart disease .
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November 6, 2014
I have read that most nuts should be consumed raw since the cooking process then causes the loss of nutrients and changes the over benefits of them. Is this true?
November 6, 2014
Christine, most whole foods keep their nutrients intact when they are consumed raw. However, when cooked, some even increase some of their properties. You can add nuts to your meals afterwards (if meals are cooked) and always eat them raw if you prefer. Including good omega-3 fatty acids and protein from nuts is a good idea, unless you suffer from heart disease, or heart related issues such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
April 2, 2014
Thanks For This Article, I Think Omega 3’S Are Highly Underrated By The General Population. I Take Omega 3 Supplements, But The Best, Of Course, Is Getting The Nutrient From The Source, Eating Nuts :) Interesting Side Note, Cashews Aren’t Really A Nut Either, They Are An External Seed To The Cashew Fruit. But Still Chock Full Of Good Stuff.