The official day to go NUTS!
A day created by the Liberation Foods Company, the U.K.’s only Fair Trade framer owned nut company, National Nut Day is celebrated in hopes to raise awareness of Fair Trade nuts and encourage a healthy diet. The day’s celebrated today, i.e., 22nd Oct.
Whether you crack ’em, peel ’em, bust ’em, or buy ’em already opened for you, we can all agree that nuts are a handful of fun (unless you’re allergic to them). So, in honour of National Nut Day, we’ll be telling you why nuts are healthy, how they are healthy and which nut specifically will benefit you the most, but before that, do you have enough reasons to love this day? Maybe not, here you go then…
1) Nuts come in different shapes and sizes
No matter what your preference is, there is a vast variety of these delicious snacks that can suit your taste buds. Nuts come in all shapes and sizes, from teardrop shaped almonds to the wrinkly walnuts . In this case, size does not matter.
2) Nuts are delicious and nutritious
They are creamy and dreamy when consumed, and also deliver a punch of nutrition. Almonds are rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin E, while all nuts provide large amounts of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
3) Nuts make the perfect snack
We all get hungry, but not always are able to eat a full meal. What do we do in situations like these? NUTS TO THE RESCUE! We can grab a handful of nuts for a guiltless snack that helps keep the hunger at bay.
Now, the health benefits of these NUTS!
1) Almonds
A 30-gram serving of almonds contains more fibre and vitamin E than any other nut, and is an excellent source of magnesium and manganese. The antioxidant function of vitamin E in almonds along with their magnesium and potassium can reduce LDL (“bad”) and total cholesterol levels, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Ayurvedic medicine rates almonds highly for increasing brain capacity, intellect and longevity.
2) Cashew Nuts
Lower in fat than most nuts, they contain anacardic acid, which improves insulin sensitivity (which is beneficial to diabetic people) and help prevent chronic inflammation. Cashew nuts are rich in heart-friendly monounsaturated-fatty acids such as oleic, and palmitoleic acids that help lower harmful LDL-cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol in the blood.
3) Peanuts
Peanuts contain one of the highest amounts of protein per serving among nuts. They also contain vitamin E, folate, niacin, magnesium and potassium. In Chinese medicine food therapy, peanut skin is often recommended for those with low platelet counts.
4) Brazil Nuts
It is referred to as an anti-cancer super food due to its rich source of selenium, an antioxidant that can protect against cancer and heart attack. Its high fibre and healthy fats content are also essential in detoxification, thyroid functions and controlling inflammation.
5) Pistachios
Pistachios have the second highest polyphenol and flavonoid content of the tree nuts. They are also an excellent source of potassium, vitamin B6, copper, and manganese. Studies have shown that eating in-shell pistachios enhances feelings of fullness and satisfaction while reducing caloric intake. Snacking on them has beneficial effects on glycaemic control, blood pressure, obesity, and inflammation markers in diabetic patients.
6) Hazelnuts
High levels of vitamin E, manganese, thiamine, folate, and fatty acids in hazelnuts improve brain and cognitive function and help prevent degenerative diseases later in life. They are also a good source of folate, which contributes to spine and brain development during pregnancy.
7) Walnuts
While lower in fibre and monounsaturated fats than many other nuts, walnuts are significantly higher in omega-3 fats than other tree nuts and peanuts, and also have higher levels of antioxidants. According to a study by the University of Texas Health Science Centre, 1g of walnut contains between 2.5 and 4.5 nanograms of melatonin, which is beneficial in treating insomnia.
Go Nuts, Go Healthy!