Nuts!

Eat up. New scientific research says these tasty little morsels, once thought to be too rich to be healthy are actually good for you

Written by Susan Herrmann Loomis • Styled by Roscoe Betsill
Photographed by Beth Galton • Produced By Susan Tyree Victoria

click each dish to view the recipe

Salty, buttery, crunchy, toasty and simply delicious, nuts have long been considered one of those fatty guilty pleasures best reserved for rare occasions. But no longer! Scientific and medical research are rapidly changing that perception.

Consider the following discoveries: The fats contained in nuts are "good fats"; they do for the body what WD40 does for a machine -- ease the passage, loosen the joints. In short, they are increasingly thought to be anti-inflammatory. Should this prove an iron-clad medical and scientific conclusion, the implications are stunning, since inflammation is most likely at the root of many afflictions. Thus regular, moderate consumption of nuts could reduce the occurrence and development of many ills, Alzheimer's and diabetes included.

There is much more. Nuts are cholesterol-free and are proven to diminish the risk of heart disease. They contain a variety of minerals and a dense amount of protein, which makes them energy powerhouses. Surprisingly enough, people who incorporate nuts regularly into their diet don't gain weight.

This doesn't mean that you should suddenly begin wolfing down cans of salted nuts. A handful of nuts each day, preferably raw, will keep the doctor at bay. When it comes to almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and other popular varieties, the accepted number hovers around 25 individual nuts, enough to be satisfying and delicious. A raw nut is ideal because its minerals and vitamins are intact. But toasting a nut, which substantially increases its flavor, only slightly diminishes its nutritional impact. As for salt, a little never hurt.

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