Nut and Seed Choices

Nuts and seeds are good for you. Studies have shown that they are a great choice in everything from snacking to being used as part of recipes.
Keep in mind that nuts are usually very fatty. Even so, the types of fat in nuts are so much better for you since most are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fats.
In one study of people already on a Mediterranean diet, those that added walnuts to their diet showed an additional 4 percent decrease in total cholesterol. In another study participants eating 3 oz. of almonds per day for 9 weeks had a 7 to 10 percent drop in cholesterol levels. Nuts and seeds are full of antioxidants and vitamin E as well as magnesium, copper, monounsaturated fat, protein and fiber.
While many of the studies are funded by such organizations as the California Walnut Commission and other industry groups, much of it is excellent research and the conclusions are quite compelling. There may be some indication that almonds are better than walnuts and walnuts are better than cashews or peanuts, but you should eat what you like. Raw may be better than roasted, and certainly eating you nuts unsalted is likely to be better for you.
Though diverticulosis patients were once told to avoid eating nuts and seeds to prevent a flare up, this has now been disproven. In fact, those who ate more than two servings of nuts a week had about the same or slightly lower risk of diverticular problems than those who ate less than one serving per month. (This includes popcorn, corn and the tiny seeds from strawberries and blueberries.)
If you prefer dry-roasted salted peanuts, you will still be better off than eating salted Doritos or Wheat Thins. The nuts have a few more calories in an ounce (170 for the nuts and 140 for the Doritos). The almonds have about half the sodium, however (85 mg for the nuts and 180 mg for the Doritos).
Peanut butter is a great choice, especially the fresh ground kind that you can purchase in some stores. If you purchase peanut butter in jars, look for the ones with the fewest ingredients.
Keep nuts and seeds sealed in zip-top bags. Buy the nuts and seeds at a health food store where you can purchase them raw, and get only a handful or so at a time so that they don't go bad (they will last about 2 months sealed in plastic).
Keep at least the following on hand:
Almonds (whole, slivered and sliced)
Pecans
Walnuts
Sesame seeds (white and black)
Poppy seeds
Sunflower seeds
Peanuts
Pinenuts
Pumpkin seeds