  Healthy Snack Of The Month: Nuts
In the moments between our 3 major meals, we often crave a little pick-me-up. If you’re anything like me, it’s usually around 10am, 3pm and little after dinner. A perfect snack to satisfy that in between meal hunger would be nuts! Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, trace minerals and healthy fats, nuts make a great snack food. Recent studies have shown that just a handful of nuts a day can reduce your risk of heart disease and may ward off adult-diabetes as well as Alzheimer’s disease.
Nuts are hard-shelled fruit or seeds that pack more nutrients per ounce than almost any other food. But you may want to avoid salted, roasted or candied nuts, because the added ingredients may compromise the nutritional value of this healthy snack. If you’re sensitive to sulfites, read the labels on fruit & nut mixes, which may contain sulfites as a preservative. Nuts make for a great treat, eat them separately or have them with dried cherries or cranberries—it’ll be a tasty pick-me-up when you’re ready to snack!
NUT | BENEFITS | Almonds | Contains the highest amount of calcium of all nuts, providing 6% of the USDA recommended daily value. One ounce contains 160 calories and 14 grams of fat. | Cashews | Contains magnesium, copper and iron. One ounce is equal to 160 calories and 13 grams of fat. | Hazelnuts | Rich with vitamin E and manganese. One ounce may contain 180 calories and 17 grams of fat. | Macadamias | Highest in saturated fats out of all nuts, but it’s very tasty. One ounce (10 to 12 roasted nuts) may contain 200 calories and 22 grams of fat. | Pecan | High in monosaturated fat. One ounce may contain 200 calories and 20 grams of fat. | Pistachio | High in vitamin B6. One ounce contains 160 calories and 13 grams of fat. |
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