Get Nutty

Today's health tip suggests you eat one serving of heart healthy nuts every day. The best choices are walnuts and almonds. Try choosing the nuts in their raw form. This way you are not consuming the added sodium and oils. Try roasting the nuts yourself in a toaster oven. It's quick and easy.

Walnuts - these heart healthy nuts contain a significant amount of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based Omega-3 fatty acid (2.5 grams/ounce). One ounce per day (12-14 halves) provides a good boost of antioxidants including 1.4 mg selenium, 3.5+/-1.0 ng/g melatonin, 5.91 mg gamma-tocopherol (a form of Vitamin E) plus several polyphenols. Walnuts are also a great source of protein so it is a great addition to any snack. Current research on walnuts includes studies in the areas of cardiovascular health, diabetes, cancer, bone health, weight management and cognitive function. Walnuts can add crunch to many meals. To find out more about walnuts and some great recipes, visit www.walnuts.org and get nutty!

Almonds- These powerful nuts also provide heart-healthy benefits. Clinical studies have shown the impact almonds can have on cholesterol and with 13 grams of unsaturated fat (the good kind) and just 1 gram of saturated fat, almonds are appealing to the hearts of more and more people every day. Almonds are the best source of six of the 13 nutrients for which there is a Daily Value. Almonds are a wonderful source of alpha-tocopherol Vitamin E, which is the kind of vitamin E the human body absorbs the best. Almonds offer satiety, fewer calories and more nutrients, crunch and taste so they are a great addition to any weight loss plan. Aim for one ounce per day (23 almonds) to reap these benefits and more. One ounce provides 6 grams of protein, 137 mg phosphorus, 76 mg magnesium, 7.4 mg vitamin E, 3.5 g dietary fiber, 200 mg potassium, 75 mg calcium, and 1.1 g iron. Visit www.almondboard.com for recipes and to learn more.