National Nut Day is observed annually on October 22. This day is NOT about the neighbor that lives down the street or the crazy co-worker, it is a food holiday that celebrates a healthy and nutritious snack.
Nuts are a highly prized food and energy source and are an important source of nutrients. Many of them are used in cooking, eaten raw, sprouted or roasted as a snack food and pressed for oil that is used in cookery and cosmetics.
The fats found in nuts, for the most part, are unsaturated fats including monounsaturated fats.
Many nuts are good sources of vitamins E and B2. They are also rich in protein, folate fiber and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and selenium.
Several studies have shown that those who consume nuts on a regular basis are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD). It was in 1993 that nuts were first linked to protections against CHD. Since that time, many clinical trials have found that consumption of various nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, can lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations.
One study has shown that people who ate nuts lived two to three years longer than those who did not. The results of the longer life may be due to the fact that, because they were eating more nuts, they were eating less junk food. Nuts are most healthy in their raw form.
Come out and join us for a smiley and some nuts from 1p - 1:30p.