Let your heart go nuts!

Ah NUTS! Those delicious crunchy nuggets used to be shunned by dieters as a “once in a while” food. Full of fat and calories (when eaten in large amounts), many dieters figured, why bother? But the reasons are many. Recent research suggests eating a little over a quarter cup of nuts daily lowers total cholesterol as well as LDL (“lousy” cholesterol). Not to mention, they taste good! Nuts are a much better snack than chips, pretzels or candy. Research suggests they can help curb a sweet tooth, too. Buy them lightly salted or unsalted if you're worried about sodium.Nuts aren’t just a good source of mono-unsaturated fat. They’re also high in protein and fiber, which can help curb your appetite between meals. Nuts can also lower your risk for heart disease. Here’s what science says:Nuts lower LDL (“lousy”) cholesterol. Add these to your daily plate:• Pecans- 1 oz per day lowers LDL by 13%• Pistachios- eat 3 oz daily to drop LDL by 12%• Macadamia nuts- a mere 1 ½ oz. lowers levels by 9%• Walnuts & almonds- 1 oz. each day reduces LDL by 7%• Peanuts- just 1 oz. cuts levels by 6%Nuts raise HDL (“healthy” cholesterol), chew on these:• Hazelnuts- 1 ½ oz. per day bump levels by 12%Nuts lower triglycerides. Snack on these:• Peanuts- aim for 3 oz. each day to reduce triglycerides by 24%• Pistachios- 2-3 oz. per day lowers levels by 10 pointsStill not sure how to add them to your diet in small amounts?Try the tips below:• Add chopped walnuts or pecans to your salad• Toss Cheerios, raisins and peanuts in a bag for a quick trail mix• Add slivered almonds to green beans• Sprinkle chopped macadamia nuts or hazelnuts into your oatmeal• Add chopped pecans to mashed sweet potatoes• Mix chopped walnuts with your yogurt• Toss chopped peanuts into your next Thai dish• Enjoy some natural peanut butter on celery or whole grain toast