Handy superfoods: 10 nuts and seeds for better health

culled from:tescohealthandwellbeing.com

Nuts

Nuts are high in fat, which can be reason enough for some people to exclude them from their diets. Yet research shows that the fats they contain (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) can actually help lower cholesterol and help keep hearts healthy. In fact the benefits of nuts are so many and varied that neglecting these little nutritional powerhouses would be, well, nuts.

Nuts - 3 key benefits

1. Versatility
Nuts can be added to a wide range of home-baked desserts or meals to enhance, texture, flavour and increase their nutritional punch.
2. Disease prevention
Nuts are a rich source of antioxidants, fibre and healthy fats. Studies suggest that when consumed as part of a healthy diet, nuts can be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and heart disease. In fact, a 2002 study revealed that those who consumed nuts two or more times per week had a 47% reduced risk of sudden cardiac death.*
3. Cholesterol-lowering
Eating nuts on a regular basis has been shown to help reduce the level of 'bad' LDL cholesterol while having no observable impact on 'good' HDL cholesterol levels.**
* Albert C.M., Gaziano J.M., Willett W.C., Manson J.E. Nut consumption and decreased risk of sudden cardiac death in the Physicians' Health Study. Arch. Intern. Med. 2002;162:1382–1387
** Sabaté J., Oda K., Ros E. Nut consumption and blood lipids: a pooled analysis of 25 intervention trials. Arch. Intern. Med. 2010;170:821–827.

5 nuts to try

1.Almonds

For weight management: Often used to add nutrition and taste to sweet and savoury meals alike, almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, fibre and protein, making them a healthy snack for curbing those between-meal hunger pangs. Past research has shown that those who supplemented their low-calorie diets with almonds actually lost more weight and achieved slimmer waistlines than those who supplemented their low-calorie diets with complex carbohydrates.*
* International Journal of Obesity Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Nov;27(11):1365–72

2. Walnuts

For heart and brain health: Walnuts are excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can protect your heart against disease and lower blood pressure.
In medieval times walnuts were thought good for the brain because they were shaped like a brain. Nutty as that may sound, research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2012 suggested that including walnuts in your diet may actually improve brain function and reduce cognitive decline.

3. Pistachios

For heart health and reduced stroke risk: Pistachios contain the amino acid l-arginine, which can help improve the flexibility of the lining of your artery walls - reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

4. Cashews

For bone and muscle health: Not only are cashews delicious and a great way of adding crunch to your meals, they’re also an excellent source of magnesium, which helps regulate muscle and nerve function while also keeping your bones strong and healthy.

5. Brazil nuts

For prostate: Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, which supports your immune system, helps wounds to heal and plays an important role in thyroid hormone production. Furthermore, research has also linked higher selenium intake with a reduced risk of a number of cancers, including prostate cancer.* But there’s no need to gobble down lots of Brazil nuts to get the selenium you need – three or four should easily do the trick.
*Dennert G, Zwahlen M, Brinkman M, Vinceti M, Zeegers MP, Horneber M. Selenium for preventing cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011:CD005195.
Remember! Always practice proper portion control. Just because nuts are a naturally good source of fats, vitamins, protein and fibre doesn’t mean that you should over-indulge in them. A portion should never exceed what you can hold in one hand: that’s about one ounce per day. One final word of caution – avoid eating nuts that have been sweetened, salted or roasted in oil. Stick to natural varieties for maximum health benefits.

Seeds

It should come as no surprise to learn that seeds are packed with nutrition – after all, it’s their job to provide a new plant with all the nourishment it needs to grow.

Seeds - 3 key benefits

1. Fibre power
Seeds are a great way of adding fibre to your diet, which can help maintain bowel health while lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
2. Small portions, big rewards
Because they’re so nutrient-rich, even a small sprinkling of seeds on your salads, soups, and so on will provide a significant nutritional boost without having to add an abundance of extra calories.
3. Protein on the go
Running late for a meeting? Rushing to collect the kids? Heading to the gym? Seeds offer an excellent way of supplementing your protein intake while on the go, helping to keep your appetite satisfied while providing a long-lasting energy hit.

5 nuts to try

1. Chia

For weight management: Chia seeds have enjoyed a surge in popularity and interest of late, and no wonder – not only are they high in fibre (which we know helps keep blood-sugar levels low and allows slower food absorption in the body), they’re also protein-rich. As with almonds, putting a sprinkling of chia seeds on your breakfast porridge or lunchtime salad can leave you feeling fuller and more satisfied for longer, which means more willpower for abstaining from sugary treats during the day!

2. Hemp

For energy: Hemp seeds are great for overall health thanks to their healthy ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. In addition, the combination of calories, complex carbohydrates and high-quality protein contained in hemp helps ensure a slow, steady release of energy in the body so there’s no need to worry about a mid-day energy crisis!

3. Pumpkin

For a mood boost: You’d be excused for thinking of ghouls, goblins and Halloween when you think of pumpkins, but there’s nothing scary about the benefits of pumpkins seeds. Indeed, they can even help you relax. That’s because pumpkin seeds are high in tryptophan, an amino acid that’s used to make serotonin – a neurotransmitter that can help relieve stress.

4. Sunflower

For regulating muscle tone and detoxing the body: Sunflower seeds have a high concentration of magnesium, which helps regulate nerve and muscle function. They’re also high in vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect your cells from damage by neutralising free radicals in the body.

5. Pomegranate

For reducing blood pressure and cholesterol: These sweet-tasting, colourful seeds contain polyphenols such as tannins, quercetin and anthocyanins, which can help to offer protection against heart disease and cancer. And that’s not all: pomegranate also contains an antioxidant called punicalagin, which some studies suggest may reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol.*