7. High in Beneficial Fiber
Fiber provides a lot of health benefits.
Though your body can’t digest fiber, the bacteria that live in your colon can.
Many types of fiber function as prebiotics or food for your healthy gut bacteria.
Your gut bacteria then ferment the fiber and turn it into beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
These SCFAs have powerful benefits, including improving gut health and reducing your risk of diabetes and obesity.
Additionally, fiber helps you feel full and reduces the number of calories you absorb from meals. One study suggests that increasing fiber intake from 18 to 36 grams daily may result in up to 130 fewer calories absorbed.
Below are the nuts with the highest fiber content per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving:
Almonds: 3.5 grams
Pistachios: 2.9 grams
Hazelnuts: 2.9 grams
Pecans: 2.9 grams
Peanuts: 2.6 grams
Macadamias: 2.4 grams
Brazil
nuts: 2.1 grams
8. May Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
Nuts are extremely good for your heart.
Some studies suggest that nuts help lower heart disease and stroke risk thanks to their benefits for cholesterol levels, “bad” LDL particle size, artery function, and inflammation.
Studies discovered that small, dense LDL particles may increase heart disease risk more than larger LDL particles.
Interestingly, according to one study on the Mediterranean diet, people who ate nuts had a significant decline in small LDL particles and an increase in large LDL particles, as well as “good” HDL cholesterol levels.
In another study, people with normal or high cholesterol were randomly assigned to consume either olive oil or nuts with a high-fat meal.
People in the nut group had better artery function and lower fasting triglycerides than the olive oil group — regardless of their initial cholesterol levels.
Delicious, Versatile, and Widely Available
Nuts can be eaten in many forms — whole, blended into nut butters, or chopped and added to meals.
They’re easy to find both in stores and online, and they come in countless varieties, such as salted, unsalted, seasoned, plain, raw, or roasted.
For the best health benefits, it’s ideal to eat nuts raw or lightly toast them in the oven at temperatures under 350°F (175°C). Dry-roasted nuts are also a good choice, but it’s best to avoid those roasted in vegetable or seed oils.
Nuts store well at room temperature, making them perfect for travel or quick snacks. But if you plan to keep them for a longer period, refrigerating or freezing them will help maintain their freshness.
The Bottom Line
Eating nuts on a regular basis may improve your health in many ways, such as by reducing diabetes and heart disease risk, as well as cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
This nutritious high-fiber treat may even aid weight loss — despite its high calorie count.
As long as you eat them in moderation, nuts make for a tasty addition to a healthy, balanced diet.
ADVERTISEMENT
