Nutrient-rich nuts help the liver to function better

I am nuts for nuts!  Nuts have their special way of completing tasty deserts, salads and snacks, adding that special something that makes food even tastier.  Although we’ve all been warned that chocolate and caramel coated nuts, as tempting as they sounds,  could do more harm than good (other than satisfying that sweet tooth, of course!), raw, unsweetened nuts are actually loaded with nutrients that are good for the liver.

Nuts grow in hard shells that protect them from external pollutants such as pesticides and fertilizers. They are considerably safer and less toxic when compared to other agricultural products that find their way onto our plates. The low toxicity of nuts make it a lot easier for the liver, the organ responsible for processing and eliminating free radicals that enter our body, to digest.

What makes nuts even more special is that they are naturally rich in protein and antioxidants. Brazil nuts, for example, contain a lot of protein that support the creation of new cells and repair damaged tissues. Studies have shown that people who regularly eat nuts have a higher level of lipoprotein, which protects the liver from fatty liver diseases.  People with liver disease are encouraged to include nuts into their diets,  helping to  ease the liver of the stress of detoxifying the body of chemicals sometimes found in other proteins.

Anti-oxidants are crucial in making sure that the liver gets as much help as it can in cleansing the blood stream. Walnuts are rich in arginine, a type of amino acid that the liver needs in detoxifying ammonia.

Nuts are rich in a  variety of vitamins such as selenium, which activates cancer-fighting cells, as well as folic acid, potassium, zinc and phosphorus.  Pecans contain vitamin E which aid in oxidizing bad cholesterol.

Almonds, with its high calcium and magnesium content, are becoming more popular as a  milk, especially among people who want to control their blood sugar level.  Magnesium helps blood vessels relax, allowing smoother  blood circulation.

Nuts also have unsaturated fats or “good fats” that help prevent the accumulation of fat in the liver. These healthy types of fat also help to keep membranes of liver cells strong.  We can definitely go nuts over healthy, raw, boiled, organic or lightly salted nuts- just keep those chocolate covered caramel coated nuts to a minimum!