3. Pumpkin Seeds
Always popular in the fall, these seeds taste great roasted with a little bit of salt. But they’re not just tasty – they have strong antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects:
“Pumpkin seed oil is a natural product commonly used in folk medicine for treatment of prostatic hypertrophy… pumpkin seed oil exhibits an antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects through a mechanism that may involve generation of nitrous oxide.”(3)
4. Walnuts
Walnuts have a rich flavor and smooth texture, and are a great addition to salads or baked goods. Popular for this reason, walnuts also have some lesser-known benefits – namely, they’re good for your brain.
A 2011 study revealed that regular walnut consumption has a positive impact on learning and memory functions in rats(4).
A more recent study showed that they could improve memory deficits in mice with Alzheimer’s disease(5).
5. Brazil Nuts
Crunchy and rich, these nuts taste great when lightly salted. Did we say nuts? They’re actually technically seeds, but due to their brown, nut-like outer covering, they’re more commonly known as nuts.
Brazil nuts can improve the lipid profile of healthy individuals(6), and are an excellent source of selenium(7), which can protect against mercury poisoning.