Going Nuts Over Nuts

I have been a registered dietitian long enough to see nuts go up and down the nutrition roller coaster. When I was a kid, I ate a lot of nuts, especially when they were left over after my folks’ bridge parties! Then low-fat diets came in and nuts went out because they are high in fat. Today, nuts are in again, and nut lovers like me are thrilled!

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans put nuts in the same food group as meat because, like meats, they contain protein. But unlike meats, nuts also supply fiber, a nutrient that is essential for a healthy digestive tract. They are a top source of vitamin E, a vitamin that helps protect cells throughout the body from everyday damage. Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that is recommended in the Dietary Guidelines.

“Emerging research shows that nuts can boost health in several ways,” says Liz Ward, R.D., a nutrition consultant and author of “The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramids.” “Eating almonds, for example, may help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in people with high blood cholesterol and in people with normal cholesterol.”...