Go Nuts!

Don't we all love nuts? I could live off them... only that I will need a pay rise since they are not exactly a cheap staple food to have - especially when trying to buy quality or even raw nuts. So yes, let's stick with the balanced diet, but nevertheless I want to introduce you to my nutty world by giving you a few insights to the benefits of these little darlings.

Energy
Nuts provide you with a good amount of slow-releasing energy that keeps us going throughout the day due to their protein content.

Healthy Fats
Nuts have a very good ratio of healthy fats such as Omega 3 and 6 which are your essential fatty acid meaning you need to ingest them as your body cannot make them. 

Snacking
They are so handy, can be taken anywhere in your bag, they don't go bad easily and are an amazing pick me up! Plus, they are guilt-free (don't overdo it please ;-) .. )

Flavonoids
Nuts are rich in this phytonutrient which is another group of very beneficial nutrients for our bodies. They can protect against cancer, strokes, Alzheimer's, heart disease or viral/fungal infections.

Vitamin E
This vitamin which is abundant in nuts is a very powerful antioxidant, is it also needed to maintain healthy cell membranes and and protecting the skin from free radical damage.

B-Complex
Nuts provide an essential dose of your B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid - all just fancy names for the different Bs. Now B-vitamins are extremely beneficial to reduce stress, help with anxiety or depression, they help turning the food we eat into energy, improve memory or even reduce the risk for heart disease.

Below is a list of nuts that have the highest health benefits:

Almonds: richest in fiber which contributes to a healthy gut and they are also richest in vitamin E
Walnuts: richest in Omega 3 to fight inflammation, they also contain manganese which can reduce PMS symptoms
Brazil Nuts: extremely high in selenium which supports a healthy thyroid function and prevent certain cancers
Pecans: very high in antioxidants as well which can lower your bad cholesterol and support a healthy brain
Cashews: rich in iron and zinc, as well as a good source of magnesium which helps improve memory
Pistachios: for the weight conscious people, these are the skinniest of all nuts with vitamin E and potassium

Now, after all the nutty stuff, let's not forget about the seeds, they are just as healthy and delicious!
However, to not make this post a massive essay I will write about them in depth another time.. For now all you need to  know is, seed up your meals with a lot of pumpkin seeds, sunflowers seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds!