Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Can Nut Allergies Equal Poor Health?

I was reading an article regarding how beneficial the consumption of nuts are to ones health. They play more of an important roll in our dietary plan than I had assumed.

According to Consumer Reports on Health, just a handful of pistachio nuts a day are very beneficial to the health of our hearts. Pistachios contain phytosterols. This is a substance that helps absorb cholesterol in our system. Pine nuts, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds are also high in phytosterols.

Nuts are also high in fiber and contain antioxidents. They also contain amino acid arginine, which helps boost your immune system and lower blood pressure levels. Most of them help produce serotonin in your brain, which can help keep you mellow. Another good thing about consuming nuts is that they help ward off heart disease. Nuts have also been noted as helping reduce strokes, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.

I realize that you can eat other foods to achieve most of the benefits you can receive from nuts, but wouldn't it be nice to just be able to pop a handful in your mouth and gain a little nutrients?

It worries me daily to think that my child could be missing out on simple health benefits because she is allergic to nuts. Of course it doesn't help that there are other healthy foods that she is also allergic to, preventing her from acquiring all the health benefits that she could use. It is a hope of mine that one day they can find a way to help all of the kids and adults who are allergic to nuts, so that they can also enjoy the great taste and health benefits from them as they rest of us do.

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