Nuts are a great way to give your diet a healthy crunch.

Right from adding pine nuts to salads to adding cashews to the delicious curries for that rich flavour and creamy texture, nuts are a must have in your meal plan.

Nuts are a storehouse of energy, protein, essential vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. The magic behind reaping the benefits of nuts is to have them in moderation and munch your way to a healthier life.

Cashews

Cashew nuts have a lower fat percentage than most other nuts, they are loaded with good heart-healthy monosaturated fats. The ratio of saturated, monosaturated and unsaturated fats in cashew nuts is in the most appropriate ratio that is ideal for optimal health. The goodness of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc in cashew nuts prevents anemia boosts immunity and is good for vision. Magnesium in cashew nuts is beneficial in improving memory and protects against age-related memory loss.

You can include about 4-5 cashew nuts in daily diet. Toss them in your salads or have them as healthy mid-day snack.

Pistachio

Pistachio is a highly valued nut for its distinct sweet flavour and less than  4 calories per nut. The good amount of essential amino acids L arginine in pistachio protect the arteries by lowering the blood clots and lowers risk of heart disease. It is also heaped with essential vitamins E, B6, B1 and minerals such as phosphorus and magnesium that boosts immunity, promotes skin health and fertility.

Pistachio can be eaten as a snack or tossed in salads, adds taste to your baked foods or as a crunchy coating for fish.

Almonds

Almonds are one of the most valued nuts for its dense nutrient profile. It is rich in monosaturated fats that lower risk of heart disease. Rich in fibre about 3 grams in a serving, and the rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant it is one of healthiest nuts for all weight watchers. Evidence proves that people who included almonds in their diet plan lost weight significantly than those who avoided it. It is also heaped with good amounts of DHA that boosts memory, good for diabetics, gut healthy and promote overall health.

Add about 8- 10 almonds in your diet as a healthy snack or chopped into your bowl of cereals or yogurt.

Walnuts

The presence of a good amount of healthy unsaturated fats in walnuts can help you to shed those extra kilos and maintain ideal body weight over time, as per research. Walnuts are the storehouse of antioxidants that protect your body from cellular damage, heart disease, cancer and premature ageing. It is filled with omega 3 fatty acids which boosts memory.

Have about 1 to 2 walnuts per day into your cereal or make your own walnut butter.

Peanuts

Unlike all other nuts, peanuts belong to the legume family but has the nutrient profile very similar to the nuts. The presence of a rich amount of monosaturated fatty acids make these nuts ideal for diabetics and lowers risk of heart disease. It is loaded with folate, manganese, vitamin E and potent antioxidants that helps to boosts the immune system and overall health.

Add them in your diet in the right quantity say about 10 per day in salad or toss them with a veggie.