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HEALTHY FATS
["The Best Life Diet" page 149]
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Nuts and Seeds
Eating nuts and seeds is a way to get protein into your diet and, perhaps even more
important, is a good source of heart-healthy fats. Walnuts, almonds, cashews,
peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds are the most nutritious.
They are a great addition to your diet, but you really have to be cautious: you
can rack up quite a few calories eating nuts and seeds, particularly the ones that
have been roasted in oil. The sensory quality of nuts and seeds is such that, once
you put your hand into the peanut bowl, it can be hard to stop even if your stomach
is telling you it's had enough; about two to four tablespoons of nuts or seeds should
be your limit.
There are several ways that you can work nuts and seeds into you diet without overdoing
it. One is to just a sprinkling of them in vegetable salads (sunflower seeds, walnuts,
and pecans are particularly good in savory dishes like salads) and fruit salads
(try hazelnuts and almonds). Nuts are also good scattered over fruit desserts. Another
way to use nuts and seeds is to mix a small amount into your cereal in the morning
or to throw some into a stir-fry (peanuts and cashews are great in Asian dishes).
Grind up flaxseeds and add them to baked goods or stir them into cereal. If you
prefer to eat nuts and seeds as a snack, divide big jars among small snack-size
bags (put one-fourth of a cup of nuts in each) so it's easier to limit your intake.
Store nuts and seeds in the freezer because they don't have a particularly long
shelf life and can go rancid.
Using nut and seed butters is a great alternative, and there are many options beyond
peanut butter (though peanut butter is a good choice, too). Almond, pistachio, cashew,
pumpkin seed, hazelnut, sunflower seed, and soy butters have their own unique flavors.
(Brazil nut, cashew nut, and macadamia nut butters are also available, but contain
a fair amount of saturated fat.) You can use nut and seed butters on sandwiches,
on toast for breakfast, or on whole-grain crackers as a snack.
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