Choose Nutritious Nuts For Snacks

It’s always nice to have a healthy snack food around that you can snack on at your leisure. Fruits and vegetables are always good choices but sometimes it’s nice to have something a little different. Nuts are a healthy choice and you can choose a variety of different nuts for snacks.

Almonds are a bit high in calories but if calories aren’t a problem then you should certainly try them. They have the highest calcium of all nuts and they are also rich in magnesium and Vitamin E. They are also high in protein and they have more fiber than any of the other nuts with a whopping 3 grams of fiber per ounce. There are a good choice for lowering LDL, which is the bad cholesterol, because 65% of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated. Because almonds contain quercetin and kaempferol it is believed they protect against cancer. And what’s even better is they are ever so tasty!

Brazil Nuts pack a lot of punch for their size. They are full of nutrients like selenium, magnesium, thiamin, niacin, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, and copper. Wow! They are also high in protein and fibers and they have arginine which is an amino acid that helps blood clots form. They are a powerful antioxidant and it is believed they play an important role in preventing cancer and heart disease.

Brazil nuts are high in fat but mot of it is the good fat, monounsaturated which helps lower cholesterol levels. They also contain alpha linolenic acid which is converted to omeg 3 fatty acids so it helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Pecans are tasty raw or they will add flavor to most any dish. They are rich in nutrients like oleic acid which lowers cholesterol levels, Vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and thiamin. And with over 500 varieties of pecans you’ll never get tired of them.

Peanuts are an all time favorite that can be found all year round. They are actually part of the legume family. They are high in dietary fiber and provide a good source of folic acid, magnesium, and Vitamin E. They also contain resveratol which lowers the risk of heart disease.

Pistachios originated in the Middle East where they grew wild and are believed to be the oldest edible nut in the world. In fact the bible refers to both pistachios and almonds. Even the Queen of Sheba coveted pistachios.

They are a nutritious nut that his high in potassium, niacin, folate, Pantothenic acid, zinc, Vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, thiamin and riboflavin. They are also high in fiber. In fact a 1 ounce serving will supply you with 10% of your daily fiber requirement.

Because pistachios contain high levels of plant sterols it is believed they reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. It also contains monounsaturated fats which reduce your LDL the bad cholesterol. Eat them as a snack, or add them to a salad or your favorite dish. Their delicious!

Walnuts are great raw, in baking or used as a topping. Walnuts are rich in protein and fiber and they are also high in plant sterols which reduce cholesterol levels. They are high in magnesium, copper, manganese, and ellagic acid. They are believed to reduce the risk of cancer by interfering with the growth of cancer cells. Walnuts are also high in omega 3 fatty acids which reduces the risk of heart disease.

There are many varieties of nuts available and almost all make healthy snacks and offer a good source of protein and fiber as well as minerals and vitamins. So if you decide to choose nutritious nuts for snacks you’ll be providing your body with needed nutrients. And they taste so good they can be hard to put down.

Aura Mirchandani is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory.