August 16, 2016 · Written by Foodtolive Team

How a Handful of Nuts a Day Makes You Healthier

Eating healthy foods makes your body stronger, and nuts are one of the best options you can find. They are good for the heart, vessels, and brain, and they are incredibly tasty. Today we’ll explain what exactly a handful of nuts does to your body.

First of all, it’s important to bust the myth about this food being bad for the diet because it contains lots of fat. This is not the case as the fats in nuts are unsaturated. They are often called ‘good fats’ because they reduce the levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.

Health Benefits Provided by a Handful of Nuts

Nuts are good for you because they contain lots of valuable nutrients:

They improve your overall health due to omega 3 fatty acids.

They improve your overall health due to omega 3 fatty acids

6 Surprising Facts About Nuts Everyone Should Know

Omega 3 are essential fatty acids that help our bodies reduce the level of inflammation. Some of the processes happening within our bodies are inflammatory in nature and necessary for supporting our life. However, if they get out of control, the body develops a wide range of diseases. Maintaining a healthy balance of omega 6 (promote inflammation) and omega 3 (reduce inflammation) fats is vital for your overall health. Vegans and vegetarians, in particular, have a hard time doing this because the richest source of these fatty acids is fish. Nuts are the best alternative among plant-based foods.

They protect you from free radicals due to vitamin E

They protect you from free radicals due to vitamin E
All nuts contain varied amounts of this important antioxidant. Vitamin E helps keep your hair and nails strong, your skin unblemished, and your blood vessels flexible, because it helps stop the development of plaques in the arteries. A handful of nuts will help you meet your daily requirement of vitamin E and give you a boost of other important nutrients.

They reduce cholesterol absorption due to plant sterols

They reduce cholesterol absorption due to plant sterols

Understanding the True Health Value of Nuts

Plant sterols are a substance that affects the natural level of cholesterol absorption. They don’t stop this process completely but help slow it down to manageable levels. Their efficiency has been tested during numerous studies. They’ve been proven so effective that today some of the ‘worst’ cholesterol-rich foods (like margarine) are enriched with these sterols to make them more heart-friendly.

They keep the arteries healthy due to L-arginine

They keep the arteries healthy due to L-arginine
Nuts contain natural L-arginine, an amino acid that transforms into a neurotransmitter, which makes your arteries relax. It improves circulation and reduces the risk of severe health problems, like heart attack, heart disease, stroke, etc. It also helps relieve chest pain and improves the condition of people suffering from clogged arteries.

Which Is the Healthiest Nut?

Despite the fact that every nut has its own benefits, all of them are good for you. At the moment, walnuts
are considered to be the most well-researched variety, so their positive effects on the body are best known. They are particularly good for the brain and heart health. Cashews are the best nuts for pregnancy.

Note that any nuts are high in calories, so you should eat them in moderation. Generally, a handful of nuts per day as a snack is all you need to get their numerous benefits.