Most of us have heard how nuts are healthy… but do you know why? We got to cracking on the hidden benefits of our paleo and vegan friends’ favorite snacks! Almonds The king of the nuts, almonds are well known for their health packed power! One recommended serving has 163 calories, 6g protein, 6g carbs, 14g fat, 3.5g fiber. Why do we love them? Almonds contain around 75mg of calcium per serving! Just think, strong bones, teeth, and hair! Pistachios In one serving of pistachios, there are 160 calories, 6g protein, 8g carbs, 13g fat, 3g fiber. Their claim to fame? Pistachios are the nut with the highest levels of three antioxidants that are key to 20/20 vision! Lutein, zeazanthin, and beta-carotene can all be found in pistachios! Walnuts Need a brain boost? Try some walnuts! One serving of walnuts has 190 calories, 4g protein, 4g carbs, 18g fat, 2g fiber. Brain boosting wise, these nuts have alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that is known to boost brain health! Brazil Nuts 1 serving of brazil nuts has 186 calories, 4g protein, 4g carbs, 19g fat, 2g fiber. Why include them in your diet? Their selenium content! In just a 1-oz serving, brazil nuts deliver a whopping 777% of the recommended daily intake of selenium! Selenium is needed in order to fight free radicals, that damage the body and cause diseases like cancer! It also has a huge role in thyroid function! Cashews Cashews have the lowest percentage of fat. In one serving, there are 157 calories, 5g protein, 9g carbs, 12g fat, 1g fiber. Cashews are also a good source of copper, with almost 100% of your recommended daily intake in one serving. Why do you need copper? Copper helps absorb iron, helps to make red blood cells, make collagen, and is important for the maintenance of bone health! Hazelnuts Are we the only people who think Nutella when we hear hazelnuts? There is a whole lot more goodness going on with hazelnuts than that! In one serving, there are 178 calories, 4g protein, 5g carbs, 17g fat, 3g fiber. Hazelnuts contain folate, an important B vitamin. They also have a high concentration of proanthocyanidins, higher than any other nut.Proanthocyanidins are antioxidants that are known to promote healthy arteries and reduce the risk of heart disease… Nutella anyone? Pecans Pecans ( either pronounce pucans or peecans) do make good pies, but they are also full of healthy benefits! A serving of pecans has 196 calories, 3g protein, 4g carbs, 20g fat, 3g fiber. They have the highest amount of antioxidants, like vitamin E. Antioxidants help protect the body against cell damage, and can lower the risk of major diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. Now that you know the benefits, it’s time to get nutty! Top your smoothies, salads, yogurt, or just get to snacking! P.s, did you know most nuts require pollination from bees and other pollinators in order to grow? That’s right, nuts like almonds need our friends the bees in order to pollinate! Make sure you are buying local, organic and/ or sustainably grown nuts when possible to help out the bees and other pollinators! Want to learn more? Stay tuned for our article on the mass pollination of almond crops in california, and what you can do to help the bees!
Let’s Go Nuts: All about those nuts and seeds we love, and have because of our pollinators!
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