Almonds

Even though almonds (and all nuts) are high in fat, they possess virtually no saturated fat or trans fat. In fact, almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, which is the same kind of fat that is found in olive oil. Research has found that there may be a 45% reduction in developing heart disease if you substitute almonds for saturated fats or carbohydrates in your diet. Also, nuts can lower your risk of weight gain. A study published in the journal Obesity found that people who ate nuts at least twice a week were much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never ate nuts. Furthermore, almonds are rich in magnesium and potassium. Magnesium helps with the body’s flow of blood, oxygen, and delivery of nutrients throughout the body and potassium, an electrolyte, helps regulate blood pressure and heart function. A quarter-cup of almonds contains close to 25% of your daily value of magnesium and 10% of potassium. Almonds also decrease post-meal increases in blood sugar, which may help protect against diabetes. Lastly, almonds are a good source of protein. A quarter-cup of almonds contains around 8 grams more protein than is provided by a typical whole egg. Go nuts for nuts!