Nuts: Heart and Brain Food

Technically speaking, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and Brazil nuts aren’t nuts in a botanical sense, they are truly dried seeds, whilst and peanuts are a legume. However, any hard-walled, edible kernel is commonly known as “nuts”. Nuts are energy dense and nutrient rich foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals known to promote heart health, support healthy brain function, blood sugar regulation, insulin response, fertility and reduce inflammation. Nuts are generally a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat that helps to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and is essential to prevent and manage heart disease. Nuts are also a good source of vitamin E (a fat-soluble antioxidant), minerals (such as magnesium and calcium), in addition to containing fiber and protein. All these nutrients are essential in aspects of brain health and optimal cognitive performance; for example, improve mood, learning and memory. Imagine, the human brain has almost 60% fat and uses about 20% of the body’s calories, so it needs enough good nutrients to promote its healthy function… Some of the best foods for the brain are nuts! Don’t forget that although nuts are very nutritious, they are also packed with energy (calories), so a good serving size of a ¼ of a cup, or just a handful of nuts every day, will allow you to reap the health benefits of nuts without packing on the pounds.