You Have High Cholesterol

ALMONDS

Besides being an easy go-to snack that you can whip out of your bag during a good ol’ 9-5 shift, almonds are also chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals, with vitamin E and biotin being the most predominant. Those nutrients enable your skin to remain smooth and gives your lush hair and strong nails the nutrition they need to flourish. Almonds have another very important nutrient, perhaps the most effective on this list: Monounsaturated fats, one of the best healthy fats. They have the ability to lower the bad cholesterol called, LDL, that’s infamous for clogging your arteries. In fact, almonds possess the richest source of monounsaturated fats (compared to some of the other nuts on this list)!

You Have Anxiety or Depression


CASHEWS

Nuts house an impressive amount of amino acids, the building blocks to protein, and there’s one specifically found in cashews that curbs the symptoms of not only stress, but anxiety and depression as well. Trytrophan is the name of this miracle-working amino acid, and cashews house anywhere from 1,000-2,000 mg of it per ¼ cup! The way trytophan works is quite simple; it helps to improve the uptake of serotonin, otherwise known as the “feel good” hormone in the brain. So like 2+2=4, an adequate intake of trytophan yields to a more efficient production of serotonin which, drum roll please, subsides feelings of being anxious, stressed and just downright blue.

Heart Disease Runs in Your Family

HAZELNUTS

This versatile, almost buttery tasting nut is credible for giving the European decadent chocolate spread, Nutella, it’s nutty flavor. While hazelnuts are irresistible all crushed in the spread, you may want to consider buying some of its raw form in bulk, and a lot more often. Despite it being deemed as Oregon’s official state nut, the hazelnut is most known for its high content of proanthocyanidins or PACs. PACs are a subgroup of polyphenols that help strengthen blood vessels, lower blood pressure and even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

 

You Just Finished a Killer Workout

PEANUTS

Peanuts are classified as being one of the top foods with a naturally occurring leucine content. Leucine what?, you may be thinking after skimming that first line. Leucine is the amino acid responsible for muscle protein synthesis, so, after you finish a workout it’s vital you replenish your muscles with a healthy dose of it. Especially if you’re trying to make some gains! Protein powders that have soy and whey proteins offer the most leucine for the least amount of calories, respectively. But, that’s not to say a daily dose of peanuts and/or a tablespoon or two of peanut butter won’t help stimulate muscle growth.

Alzheimer’s Disease Runs in Your Family

PECANS

Who doesn’t love to have a slice of pecan pie over the holidays? Well don’t wait for Christmas to roll around, or depend on a pie for that matter, to receive the benefits of this nut! Pecans are rich in magnesium, a mineral that works to diminish inflammation in the body. This is huge for people who have Alzheimer’s disease running amuck in your family tree.

 

 

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