Nuts

By Janice M. Horowitz

They're loaded with fat and can be very salty, yet these filling little snack foods are nutritional powerhouses. That's because the types of fat found in nuts—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—are the good fats. When eaten instead of junk food high in saturated fats (like potato chips and doughnuts), nuts lower blood levels of triglycerides and ldl (bad) cholesterol while raising HDL (good) cholesterol—a perfect formula for preventing heart disease. Many nuts, such as pecans and walnuts, also contain a phytochemical called ellagic acid. In preliminary laboratory studies, ellagic acid seemed to trigger a process known as apoptosis, in which cancer cells kill themselves. Nuts provide another benefit: they contain vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that may help ward off heart disease and cancer. The downside? At about 150 calories per ounce, they are a sure ticket to the fat farm. Eat them by the handful, not the bowlful.