joann's health&fitness blog

You may have read about one of a number of studies that show eating nuts is healthful. We tend to remember these because nuts taste good and we're always on the lookout for a healthy snack. Trouble is, they're full of fat and calories. The upside is they are also strong on protein, fiber, and a number of micronutrients that may not be plentiful in other foods we are eating. An ounce of nuts has 160-200 calories. The number of nuts in an ounce varies: about 22 for almonds, 18 for cashews, 14 halves for walnuts, 32 for peanuts. (Peanuts are technically legumes, like beans and peas, but we include them here as they are part of most mixed nuts. The others are true nuts, often called tree nuts.) Nuts are worth devoting 200 calories to, as long as you eat them instead of the doughnut, not in addition to.
Here's a tip that can keep you from going overboard with this healthy snack. Take a small tin that mints like Altoids come in, and fill it loosely with nuts. This is about an ounce--22 almonds or nuts of similar size. Carry this around with you for your snack. This tip is from the University of California Wellness Letter, an 8-page monthly publication with lots of up-to-date health information. Their web site is www.wellnessletter.com. I recommend this because I think it's good. I don't get anything from it.
I do make a bit from the sale of my books on walking and weight training. Yes, good nutrition and exercise are both important. Take a look at http://www.healthandfitness.com/joann.