Photo credits: healthline.com
This is the continuation of my previous blog about the healthiest nuts.
7. Brazil Nuts
Photo credits: bbcgoodfood.com
Brazil nuts which are scientifically known as Bertholletia excelsa is a South American tree belonging to the same order Ericales, known to be with other plants like blueberries and cranberries. This tree is domestic to these countries of Peru, Columbia, Venezuela and of course in Brazil. The trees are usually can be found along on the banks of major rivers and it is considered one of the Amazon's giant trees.
Brazil nuts are enriched with monounsaturated fat, which is definitely good in our body and also, this nut contain some protein and this is a good source of the important nutrients which includes magnesium, zinc, vitamin E and in B vitamins. Hence, Brazil nuts are one of the best sources of Selenium. Selenium is one of the important minerals for the body for it has a strong antioxidant power, fights free radicals and lessen inflammation, so it is boosting the overall health.
In fact, just five-six Brazil nuts a day will provide your recommended daily allowance of selenium.
Eating small amounts of Brazil nuts can provide a healthy boost to one of the vital organs in your body and that is the heart. The healthy unsaturated fats that are mostly known as HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or the good forms of cholesterol or omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients are all beneficial for maintaining healthy blood pressure, that has a direct positive effect on heart health. And it also includes the palmitoleic acid. Brazil nuts can help you fight the risk of cancers, due to its excessive ellagic acid and selenium levels. Ellagic acid is known as the antimutagenic and anticancer. Selenium is shown to lessen and prevent the occurrence of cancer. Esophageal cancer rates are tremendously high and selenium intake is low, the outstanding inverse associations of serum selenium levels with the incidence of esophageal cancer.
Photo credits: peoplebeatingcancer.org
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland found in the neck. Thyroid help controls the metabolism but lacking selenium can affect the thyroid metabolism, regulation of appetite, heart rate, body temperature sleep, and weight. Because of the selenium that acts as the catalyst of the production of active thyroid hormones. Selenium also helps the person who has the illnesses like the Hashimoto's disease, Grave's disease, and anti-TPO antibodies (anti-thyroid peroxidase).
Photo credits: my.clevelandclinic.org
Brazil nuts that have an overflowing antioxidant helps in preventing many chronic illnesses. The glutathione qualifies the existence of selenium and it is an enzymatic antioxidant which eliminates free radicals in all parts of the body and it also helps defend against the acne, wrinkles and other health conditions, it all thanks to the high-level zinc in this nuts. Brazil nuts are the only nuts that are a complete protein.
On the contrary to this nuts that are loaded to fat, they are all healthy fats. It all thanks to the fusion of all the nutrients in Brazil nuts, basically, you don't need to worry for your weight gain by eating this nut as long as you eat the proper amount of this nuts.
Video credits: Why You Should Eat Brazil Nuts via Youtube
A person who has a low level of selenium is also linked to mood-related disorders like anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Therefore, by eating a small amount of this nut will help you boost your mood. and lessen the chance of these mood-related disorders.
8. Hazelnuts
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Hazelnut is known as the filbert and this is a type of nut that came from the tree of Corylus. This nut has commonly cultivated the countries of Turkey, Italy, Spain, and in the United States. Like any other nuts, hazelnuts are also rich in nutrients and have a high content of minerals, fats, vitamins, and protein.
Hazelnuts are well-known for being a combatant for fighting against any heart disease and this nut is an excellent vasodilator for it has a great combination of magnesium and potassium. They are also rich in omega-9 fatty acids that help to expand the HDL or high-density lipoprotein and the reduction of LDL or low-density lipoprotein, they are known as good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. It helps stops the buildup of plaque in the arteries, therefore, reducing the possibility of any cardiovascular disease. And these minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium are the minerals that are related to diabetes, the combination of these minerals are advantageous to those people who are suffering to diabetes and it also helps regulate the blood pressure.
High concentration of the antioxidant compound and vitamin E are good for anti-cancer properties and it's amazing since this nut has it too. Like any other nuts that I mention on my previous blog, this nut has the highest concentration of the category of antioxidant that is known as the proanthocyanidins and this antioxidant help prevent the risk of cancers and it even helps to treat some various types of cancers. And vitamin E is one of the remarkable cancer-prevention supplement, it has the capabilities to lessen the probability of prostate, breast, colon and lung cancers, and it also prevents the growth of mutations and tumors. This vitamin also together with vitamin K, vitamin B1 and selenium (that is mention in hazelnuts) form an outstanding performance that is good for the health of the brain, improves the memory and it also lessens the risk of nerve damage, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
Photo credits: newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org
Antioxidants are known as the phenolic compounds and hazelnuts are abundant with it. Antioxidants fight the oxidative stress, which can damage cell structure and promote aging, cancer, and heart diseases. Hence, it will help guard your heart health, fights against cancer, lower your blood cholesterol, and inflammation. It is also beneficial for protecting your skin from the UVA/UVB rays which can cause skin cancer. Antioxidants and flavonoids activate the regeneration of the healthy skin cells and also it will help you for terminating the dead cells in our body, which gives you a visibly healthier and younger looking skin.
Photo credits: drjockers.com
All these fats, alongside with the fiber, it helps support the fullness and prevents mindless snacking even if you are still full. Hazelnuts are exceptionally healthy for the metabolism in the body. If a person consumes a great number of nuts show a higher level for weight loss due to the boost of metabolism. Thiamine plays the vital part for maintaining a healthy metabolism, it also helps transform or turn the carbohydrates into glucose, which is one of the sources of energy that the body uses to work. Manganese is able to minimize the weight of the obese or overweight person, probably because of its ability to boost the digestive enzymes. Hazelnuts are one of the excellent sources for dietary fiber and just by eating a sufficient amount of it improves the regular bowel movements and helps restrain constipation.
9. Peanuts
Photo credits: npr.org
Peanut is a small dicotyledon herb growing up to a foot above the ground or it is known as the groundnut, goober, monkey nut, and it is classified as the Arachis hypogaea. In fact, peanuts are most likely the popular nuts around the globe.
Peanuts are definitely rich in fat, contains monosaturated fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids, yet it is low in carbs and makes a good dietary choice for people who have diabetes. Peanuts are surprisingly one of the good sources many vitamins and minerals such as protein, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, niacin, folate, thiamine, vitamin E and manganese. As a source of many nutrients that is actually good at the heart, peanuts helps to prevent the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases that is one of the causes of death. Manganese stimulates the fats and carbohydrate metabolism and it enables the glucose to infiltrate muscles and liver cells, helping to stabilize the blood sugar levels.
Biotin is supposedly part of vitamin B-complex, but it was called the vitamin H before. Nevertheless, biotin is a massively beneficial nutrient for the physiological well-being, it is involved in dozens of enzymatic reactions to the body, and that includes the process to regulate the expression in the genes. Biotin is also beneficial for the treatment diabetes, and some brain condition like Autism, Alzheimer's disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Arteriovenous Malformation, Aphasia, Aneurysm, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Agenesis Corpus Callosum, Acquired Brain Injury, and Acoustic Neuroma. Additionally, biotin has the vital role for the pregnant women, that even if a mild biotin deficiency can significantly increase the risk of the congenital birth defects.
Video credits: Autism — what we know (and what we don't know yet) via Youtube
Photo credits: theborneopost.com
Antioxidants are one of the molecules that neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that causes damages to your cells. Uncontrolled free radical activity has been suggested that has the probability for the formation of the cancerous cells, meaning to say that having an abundance of antioxidants in your body may lower the risk of cancer.
Gallstones are small particles or semi-solid blobs of bile acids that may have too much cholesterol that forms in the gallbladder. Any person has the risk of gallbladder disease depends on the proper diet, genes, weight or the problem with your gallbladder but mostly gallstones are composed of cholesterol. But by eating peanuts may help you lower the risk of gallstone formation. Having a low serotonin level can lead to depression. Tryptophan in peanuts boost the release of this chemical, hence, it helps to fight depression.
Photo credits: mayoclinic.org
There are times that this nut will be contaminated to a species of mold which is Aspergillus flavus and it produces a toxic substance called aflatoxin. One of the main symptoms of this aflatoxins poisoning is the loss of appetite and the yellow discoloration of the eyes or known as jaundice and it is a sign that there is a problem in your liver and a serious aflatoxin poisoning can seriously lead to liver failure and liver cancer. The risk of this depends on the peanuts that are stored, occurred under warm and humid condition. But the risk can be prevented by the correct way of drying the peanuts after harvest and keeping the temperature humidity low during storage.
In my country: the Philippines especially here Iligan City in Mindanao you will always see a lot of vendors selling on the street or in the terminal, so basically, this is one of my favorite snacks when I am traveling home from school. And also, I love eating peanut butter so much.
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