Nuts are one of the best sources of healthy plant-based fats. They’re a satisfying snack that are good for your heart and brain, but not all nuts come with the same nutrition profile. Some are higher in protein and others have certain micronutrients that make them shine.
Whether you eat them by the handful, toss a few on top of a salad, use crushed nuts to coat a protein like salmon, or have a love of nut butter, you can rest assured that all nuts are good for you. But nutrition professionals agree that these nuts stand out among the crowd.
Almonds
Almonds are one of the highest protein nuts boasting 6 grams per ounce. They’re rich in fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E — nutrients that play a role in digestion, heart health, and skin health. The healthy unsaturated fat in almonds is good for the heart and helps with blood sugar control.
The combination of protein, fiber and healthy fats makes almonds a filling snack for anytime of the day. And a 1-ounce serving size is about 23 almonds, which is more than many other nuts. Almonds are a crunchy and rich addition to salads and pastas.
Walnuts
“(Walnuts) are an excellent plant source of omega-3 fats, which can promote healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels,” says Anne Danahy, a Scottsdale-based registered dietitian specializing in healthy aging and the Mediterranean diet. More specifically, Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com says that walnuts are rich in the amino acid L-arginine as well as ALA (a type of omega-3), both of which support cardiovascular health by improving blood vessel function, reducing inflammation, and lowering blood pressure.
“Walnuts are also great for your gut microbiome since they contain compounds that feed beneficial gut bacteria,” Danahy says. Researchers are also exploring ways walnuts might help reduce colorectal cancer risk.
An ounce of walnuts is about 14 nuts and has 185 calories, 4 grams of protein, 2 grams…
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