5 NUTS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH THIS WINTER

Traditional Chinese Medicine theory believes that nuts are warm and hot in nature. The cold weather makes it suitable for people to eat nuts in winter without getting internal heat. Most nuts can nourish and strengthen kidneys, brain, and heart. In addition, eating nuts in winter helps keep warm and improves your physical condition. Let's look at 5 nuts that help you stay healthier in the winter:

Walnuts 

Walnuts are high in protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins. The rich vitamin B and E help prevent cell aging, enhance memory, and slow down aging. Besides, walnuts can reduce the intestinal absorption of cholesterol, beautify skin and hair.  Walnut is an important adjuvant material for Chinese patent medicines. Walnuts have very good effects on kidney deficiency, urinary frequency, and cough. They also help relieve fatigue and stress. Overconsumption of walnuts will affect digestion. Do not peel off the brown skin of the walnut kernel, or it will cause nutrition loss. 

Chestnuts 

Different from other nuts, chestnuts contain more carbohydrates, but less protein and fat. They also have carotene, riboflavin, ascorbic acid, and other vitamins. The polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and the minerals in chestnuts help prevent and treat hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis. 
Chestnuts are sweet in flavor and warm in character. They can nourish kidneys, stomach, and blood. The tonic value of chestnuts is comparable with medicinal herbs like ginseng, astragalus, and angelica. 
Everyone can eat chestnuts. However, they are high in sugar and starch, the overweight and obese should eat less. Better to eat 30 grams daily. 

Hazelnuts

Hazelnut is a kind of oleaginous fruit (mostly unsaturated fatty acids) that is rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamin E, minerals, and sugar fiber, making it beneficial to reduce cholesterol and prevent colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and other diseases. In addition, hazelnut is a good source of minerals needed by the human body. Hazelnuts can also promote bone growth while balancing the blood pressure. Hazelnuts help relieve poor appetite, fatigue, emaciation, and weakness after illness. Eating hazelnuts is beneficial to the healthy development of children. 

Almonds 

Almond contains a variety of minerals, amino acids, and rich calcium. Studies found that eating almonds can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol, and detoxify lungs. However, almond is a high-calorie food; you'd better reduce other fats intake if you're going to eat almonds every day.
Almond is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to cure coughs and phlegm. It is especially suitable for the elderly suffering from chronic constipation. There are two main types of almonds: sweet and bitter. Sweet almonds can be eaten directly while bitter almonds are toxic and cannot be eaten raw. 
Almonds have a laxative effect, so people who have poor digestion, loose stool, or diarrhea should eat less. 

Peanuts 

Peanuts are high in protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D. Besides, peanuts also contain vitamin E, vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, copper, potassium, zinc, magnesium and other minerals. 
Eating peanuts can nourish blood, spleen, and lungs, as well as moisturize the skin. Not suitable for the elderly who have poor digestive functions, and patients after cholecystectomy.

Learn to speak Chinese Mandarin!  Join us for weekly skype lessons. To find out more drop us an email to: mandarin@auteurfilms.co.za