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Claire Brown from writes:
So it’s summer time and we are more prone to want to snack lightly during the day, especially when on holiday.
I always recommend eating raw and natural nuts which are a good choice for a light snack. Nuts are nutritional powerhouses packed with heart-healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals – the perfect snack for your body.
Now the secret here is that you have to leave the sugar and salty additions to your nuts off – eat them completely natural, otherwise they will be detrimental to your summer bikini body. Keep in mind nuts are high in fat and calories, so while a handful can hold you over until dinner, a few more handfuls will ruin your appetite altogether. So eat nuts in moderation and you will reap the health benefits.
Here are the recommended three best nuts to eat:
Almonds:
You will often see people snacking on these in the gym, here’s why: almonds are the highest in fibre and the richest in vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant. Replace your complex carbohydrates with eating almonds and you will drop weight more quickly. These nuts also increase levels of good bacteria that improve the body’s immune system. Almonds are one of the lower-calorie nuts, with the highest quantity of calcium making them extremely waistline-friendly. Almonds also rank among the highest-protein nuts, but at a fraction of the price of some higher-end nuts like walnuts.
Cashew Nuts:
Cashews are rich in iron and zinc which helps deliver oxygen to all of your cells and is critical to immune health and healthy vision. Cashews are also a good source of magnesium which helps improve memory and protect against age-related memory loss.
![Cashews are rich in iron and zinc which helps deliver oxygen to all of your cells and is critical to immune health and healthy vision.](https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2015/12/Cashews2_57823-520x390.jpg)
Pistachios:
Pistachios are high in cholesterol-lowering plant sterols and have more potassium than most nuts. Pistachios contain l-arginine, which can make the lining of your arteries more flexible and potentially reduce heart attack and stroke risk. Pistachios are lower in calories, and since they have to be shelled before eating, they help pace your eating and moderate your digestion.
![Pistachios are high in cholesterol-lowering plant sterols and have more potassium than most nuts.](https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2015/12/pistachios2_05749-520x390.jpg)
So this summer when you snack – why not snack smart and get nuts about nuts.