Diet trends come and go, but there are always a few rules that stand the test of time: Eat more fruits and veggies, eat less sugar, don’t ever grocery shop when hungry. We’ve got one more to add to your list: More nuts. If you think you know why nuts are so good for you, you don’t. Snacks like Nut Thins by Blue Diamond make it easy to get more nuts into your diet easily and deliciously, and after reading this list you’ll know why we added them to our February 2017 box.
Flickr user Cowbell Solo
1. Vitamins and Minerals Galore
You’ve probably heard that nuts pack in a lot of good stuff, but do you know HOW much? Here’s a quick list:
-Calcium
-Vitamin B6
-Vitamin C
-Vitamin E
-Iron
-Magnesium
-Potassium
-Zinc
2. The Perfect Energy Booster
Flickr user Danielle Scott
Are you usually yawning by 2 p.m.? Ditch the Red Bull and grab some trail mix instead. Did you know pistachios have more protein per ounce than an egg?!
3. Be Good To Your Heart
You might have heard that there are different kinds of cholesterol, and how important it is to lower your LDL (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) for your heart. Nuts, especially almonds, are some of the best things you can eat for your LDL cholesterol and clear the plaque out of your arteries. Nuts can also lower your blood pressure - even as little as 1.5 ounces of pistachios a day!
4. Protect Your Cells
Flickr user Pauline Mak
Antioxidants is one of those buzzwords that always seem to get thrown around when talking about health foods. Antioxidants help protect the cells in your body by getting rid of free radicals that can cause a range of illnesses and damage your immune system. Nuts are one of the best sources of natural antioxidants - especially walnuts.
5. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber
You’ve probably heard about the importance of getting fiber in your diet. While fiber can’t be digested by your body, it helps keep your digestion regular and keeps you full longer. While dark leafy greens are the absolute best source of fiber, nuts are a great way to get fiber easily into your diet as snacks. Fiber may also help with a number of other health areas like blood sugar, skin health, and even preventing strokes.
6. Curb Your Junk Food Cravings
Flickr user See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
No matter how many of your annoyingly cute coworkers or people you follow on Instagram say it, let’s face it - we all get cravings for food we shouldn’t eat. That’s why things like granola bars, low-fat frozen yogurt, and 100-calorie cookie packs were invented. But you might be surprised at how well nuts do that job. The fat content curbs your cravings without undoing your diet (because nuts are good fats, not the bad ones) and the fiber fills you up faster than something with empty calories like ice cream.
