This is Day 4 of Well’s Mediterranean Diet Week. Start at the beginning here.
It’s time to add a bit more crunch to your diet, so let’s talk about nuts and seeds.
These nutritional powerhouses are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, as well as protein and gut-healthy fiber. Just a handful of almonds, for instance, provides about six grams of protein and three grams of fiber, about the amount you’d get from eating an egg and three-quarters of a cup of blueberries.
Nuts and seeds are also impressive sources of heart-healthy fats, which have been linked to improved cholesterol levels and protection from cardiovascular disease.
One recent review of more than three dozen studies, for instance, found that people who ate a little more than a handful (or about one ounce) of nuts and seeds every day had a roughly 20 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who ate little to none.
