- Go Nuts--New
Research Shows It's Good for You
 (ARA)
- If you’re among the many people who love to munch on nuts,
but who gave them up because of health concerns, there’s
good news this holiday season. Recent research shows that nuts,
in moderation, are actually a boon to your heart. So when you
see a bowl of nuts at holiday gatherings, go ahead and grab a
small handful instead of the chips and dip.
“Nuts used to be something
people felt guilty about eating because they’re high in
fat,” says nutritionist Gigi Acker, MPH, RD, of NutritionInsights
in Los Altos, Calif. “But not all fat is bad. Healthy monounsaturated
fats, like those found in nuts, actually reduce the risk of heart
attack.”
The recent Nurses Health Study
found that nurses who ate nuts five times a week had less heart
disease and on average were thinner compared with those who did
not eat nuts. And a study published in the April 2002 Journal
of Nutrition had people replace half the fat in their daily diets
with almonds for six weeks. Researchers found that the almond
eaters’ LDL (bad) cholesterol went down 6 percent, and HDL
(good) cholesterol went up 6 percent. In addition, their triglycerides
(blood fat) dropped 14 percent. These studies and others indicate
it’s the combination in nuts of monounsaturated fats and
protective plant compounds known as flavonoids that reduces the
risk of heart disease.
In addition to their heart-healthy
benefits, nuts make a great snack because they provide protein,
fiber and fat. That combination makes them satisfying -- they
fill you up and have staying power, notes Acker. Mojo Bars, a
new savory snack option, incorporate the advantages of nuts.
Available in five different flavors, each bar contains a half
ounce of nuts. “When the snack urge hits, Mojo Bars are
a great choice,” says Acker.
She recommends enjoying an
ounce of nuts (1/8 of a cup) every day. But, she cautions, you
can’t simply add nuts to your daily diet. Instead, you should
substitute nuts for less healthy fat from chips, cookies, crackers
and cheese. In addition to simply eating them out of hand, there
are many flavorful ways to include nuts in your diet. Here are
some of Acker’s favorites:
Almonds
* Sprinkle toasted almonds
over your low fat cereal in the morning or slice toasted almonds
on a salad.
* Keep a Honey BBQ Almond Mojo
Bar in your desk, backpack or car for a quick, healthy snack.
This delicious, first-of-its-kind savory snack bar is convenient
and tastes great.
Peanuts
* For a fresh twist on an old
standby, try a peanut butter with fresh fruit sandwich.
* Add peanuts to Indian food
like curried rice dishes.
* Drizzle peanut sauce over
grilled chicken or tofu.
* Make your own trail mix --
peanuts, raisins and chocolate chips.
Cashews
* Sprinkle a few cashews on
chicken salad or in Chinese stir-fry dishes.
* Try cashew butter -- use
it as a bagel spread instead of cream cheese, which has no protein
and lots of fat.
* Add an ounce of cashews to
your granola.
Walnuts
* Top your salad with toasted
walnuts and a little blue cheese.
* Bake cookies and breads with
walnuts.
If you buy raw nuts, simply
toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until you start
smelling their wonderful aroma. Be sure to store them properly.
“All nuts should be stored in the refrigerator so they stay
fresh longer,” notes Acker.
So go ahead and make nuts a
part of your healthy eating plan, along with fresh fruits, vegetables
and whole grains. And don’t forget moderate amounts of exercise
as part of that package as well.
For more information on Mojo
Bars, visit www.clifmojo.com.
You can find Mojo Bars in natural food stores, outdoor stores
and selected grocery stores.
Mojo Bar is a savory natural
snack bar made for people on the move. It’s for anyone who
craves flavors found in snacks like potato chips, but wants a
healthier alternative. Filled with whole nuts, pretzel pieces,
and other tasty morsels, a Mojo Bar is perfect as an afternoon
snack at the office or a satisfying munch while on a hike. Mojo
Bar comes in five flavors: Honey Roasted Peanut, Mixed Nuts,
Honey BBQ Almond, Curry Cashew and Spicy Salsa Peanut.
- ____________________________________
- Courtesy of ARA Content
- ____________________________________
ARTICLE POSTED
JANUARY 6, 2003 |
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