Advertisers spend nearly $1 billion promoting snacks and sweets, and we respond by buying $13.4 billion worth of snack foods each year. By comparison, the US Department of Agriculture recently had a budget of $333 million for nutrition education, evaluation and demonstrations. And we're surprised that over 60% of the population is overweight or obese? Snacking has become a national past-time. Grocery stores have aisles filled with a variety of deep fried vegetable chips, cheese puffs and flavored crackers that provide little more than calories and fat. Lurking among the same grocery store aisles are some of the greatest little nutrition powerhouses – nuts and seeds.Instead of snacks high in fat and low on nutrition, try a handful of nuts or seeds. They can provide the satisfying crunch found in fried snacks, but without the 'bad' saturated and trans fat. Nuts and seeds provide 'healthy' monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, protein, fiber, 'B' vitamins, iron, magnesium and calcium. Just like deep fried snacks, nuts and seeds are high in calories, so it's important to use portion control. Bu, nutrient-dense calories are so much better than the empty calories found in your usual snack items.So in honor of National Health Day on April 7th and National Pecan Day on April 19th, why not grab a handful of nuts or seeds the next time you feel a 'snack' attack coming on? Your heart will be glad you did!.