Nuts: traditionally, they’re part of many of the snacks we eat, and they’re an integral ingredient in many cookies, breads and other baked goods. In recent years, nuts have also been used to garnish salads, add protein and flavor to vegetable side dishes, and are a featured part of stir-fries and other ethnic dishes.
According to Hersheys.com, nuts have been, and continue to be, a staple food for many world cultures. They’re known as tree nuts and include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts (also called filberts), macadamia nuts, pistachios and pine nuts. Peanuts, although actually legumes, often are grouped in with tree nuts and may be eaten raw or prepared in dishes, just like tree nuts, the Web site explained.
Nuts have also come into the spotlight in recent years because of their nutritional benefits, which are listed in general nutrition and health information on the Hershey.com Web site. Nuts are part of the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid, in the “Meats, Poultry, Fish, Beans Eggs and Nut group,” and one-third cup of nuts may be substituted for a one-ounce serving of cooked lean meat. Nuts are loaded with folic acid and vitamins E and B6, and minerals magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium and potassium. Although nuts are full of fat, that fat is unsaturated and may actually decrease levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. A storehouse of vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, nuts have been included in the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which recommends four to five servings of nuts a week to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. (read more)
