Go nuts while you diet!!

          I get funny looks when I tell women to eat walnuts while they're trying to shed extra weight.  We tend to equate nuts with fat.  Peanut butter, for instance, is a dreaded no-no for many diets.  Don't get me wrong, an excess of nuts can be detrimrental, as can an excess of anything.  My husband, his obsession with peanut butter, and his gall bladder problems can attest to that.  Excessively high fat diets can lead to many problems; gallstones, obeisity, blood pressure, and heart problems, just to name a few. 
         On the positive side, nuts are an easy way to give your body the fats that are beneficial to your system and a very filling and satisfying food.  They contain minerals and vitamins that help us to feel full and that work synergistically within the digestive system.  Using nuts while you are dieting as a snack is an excellent way to feel full longer and to give yourself high nutrient density, which is a key to everyday healthy eating. 

         So, go nuts, while your are dieting!!  I especially recommend walnuts and sunflower seeds which both contain EFAs, Bs, (including, the elusive, B12) tryptophan, and Vitamin E.  I leave a bowl full on the kitchen table for snacking, in passing and don't be afraid to eat a PB & J on whole grain bread as a lunch sandwich, or PB on a whole grain cracker, as a snack.  If your body is craving a little fat it won't relent until you've given it what it wants.  Why not give it some good stuff too!?  Happy Snacking! Yum!