Q. Could you talk about the relative benefits of various nuts? We know almonds and walnuts can lower cholesterol. Do pecans, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts or hazelnuts offer anything besides calories?
A. Nearly all nuts have beneficial fatty acids, particularly monounsaturated fatty acids like those found in olive oil. In addition, walnuts contain some omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish oil.
People who eat five ounces of nuts weekly are less susceptible to heart disease and type-2 diabetes. People who consume Brazil nuts get selenium, which can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis. Be careful with Brazil nuts, however. They are so rich in this mineral that eating more than three or four a day on a regular basis could result in selenium toxicity (hair loss, rash, nasty nails and nerve damage).
