‘Tis the season for nuts…
Christmas is probably the only time of the year that most of us get out the nutcracker to actually shell the nuts we eat, instead of buying them already shelled for us from our natural health food store. So while you are cracking them this year, here is something to think about which nut is doing what for your body.
Walnuts
Great for lowering cholesterol. You need to eat about one to two ounces a day for a month to see the benefits. Walnuts are also good for reducing stress as they contain plenty of serotonin which boosters tryptophan.
Cashews
Did you know they have twice as much iron as ground beef? That makes them excellent for fighting fatigue.
Pecans
Just five pecans have about one sixth the amount of zinc we need per day to fight off colds and flu.
Pistachios
These tasty nuts have more potassium than a banana has. A couple of handfuls of shelled nuts will help lower blood pressure.
Brazil nuts
Two of these a day will help ward off certain cancers, such as bladder and prostate, because of their rich source of selenium.
Almonds
Eat seven soaked almonds each morning to help stabilize your blood sugar levels. Almonds are low on the glycemic index, making them a good choice for diabetics.
Filberts
These nuts are one of the highest natural sources of vitamin E and are also full of zinc, calcium and magnesium.
Did you know that raw, shelled nuts are much more digestible if they are soaked first? It’s a good idea to soak all nuts for 20 minutes, or even overnight in the refrigerator, to get rid of the tannins and increase their nutritional value. Always throw away the water you soak them in.
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