Nuts to You (For Better Heart Health)

OK, nuts have a lot of fat. What you may not know is that they also may be good for your heart.

Tree nuts—almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts—are sources of unsaturated fats, which lower blood cholesterol levels. They also contain several other potentially beneficial ingredients. Eating a handful (1½ oz.) a day may actually reduce the risk of heart disease.

That’s according to the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation, but it also has some objective validation: Last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved that claim—backed by more than 30 studies—for inclusion on nut packaging.

And the benefits may not stop there. A number of studies in the last 20 years even suggest that nuts could have beneficial effects against colon and prostate cancer.

Even nut enthusiasts will tell you, though, that portions are important. Those nine nuts listed above, taken in 1½-oz. portions, would average 267 calories and 25 grams of fat. For that reason, you wouldn’t want to overindulge. But as an on-the-go snack for EMS providers, you could do a lot worse.

For more information, including complete nutritional breakdowns of individual tree nuts, visit www.nuthealth.org.