Americans Go Nuts For Health, Nutrition (NAPSA)—Nuts are considered nature’s perfect fuel food. Packed with energy, fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids, they can be an important—and tasty— component of a healthy, active lifestyle. Long valued by vegetarians for their meatless protein power, nuts also find favor with today’s carbohydrate-counting dieters. Their natural flavor makes them favorites of cooks and diners of all stripes. Americans know the nutritional value of nuts. A July 2004 survey by Leflein & Associates found that a majority of adults rated nuts the healthiest snack option. Medical studies show nuts can help reduce the risk of many common health problems, including heart disease, stroke and arthritis. Nuts can also help fight depression and may protect against diabetes and some cancers. More good news about nuts is that researchers have found that nuts can even help with weight control when consumed in moderation. Eating a handful of nuts prior to a meal helps curb appetite. Championing this tasty food is Diamond of California, the world’s largest provider of inshell and culinary nuts, packaged for every use, from cooking to snacking. Cooking nuts, such as walnuts and pecans, come in convenient, reclosable packages great for the pantry, while Diamond’s new snackline, Emerald of California (www. emeraldnuts.com), is packaged in handy on-the-go canisters that fit Walnuts add flavor, crunch and nutrition to any meal, and are also great alone as a snack. comfortably in the hand, lunchbox or car cup holder. Walnuts: A Wealth of Omega-3 Though most commonly used in baking in the United States, walnuts are a key ingredient in a healthy and flavorful Mediterranean diet. Loaded with many times more heart-healthy omega-3 oil than comparable servings of salmon, leafy greens or tofu, walnuts can be sprinkled into soups or salads to boost both flavor and nutrition. You can also try them chopped and mixed with a handful of raisins on your cereal. Nuts contain the antioxidants found in vitamin E, essential minerals such as magnesium, selenium, copper and manganese, and even fiber for more effective digestion. Thiamin, niacin, folate, phosphorus and zine are all found in nuts. Whether you eat them as snacks or at meals, your favorite nuts—walnuts, almonds, pecans and others—are a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and other compounds your body needs for good health.
