I don’t think any food delivers as much flavor, nutrition, and versatility as nuts . . . at least, not in such a small, easy-to-store, long-lasting, convenient, and almost watertight containment unit. Squirrels know it, which is why they spend all spring and summer hoarding these woody jewels with their spooky little hands. To the average tree rat, a nest full of walnuts, pecans, or cashews could mean the difference between waking up in the spring and ending up a squirrel-sicle. But to the average American, nuts are for bowls on bars and, well . . . that’s about it.
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PROTEIN! GET YOUR FRESH, HO T PROTEIN! FIBER, ANTIOXIDANTS, OMEGA-3S! That’s right, omega-3s, the very same fatty acids found in fish oil, are also found in nuts. What’s more, nuts can lower your risk of heart attack and type-2 diabetes. Sure, tree nuts contain fat, but most of it’s that “good” fat you hear so much about, the unsaturated kind that can lower cholesterol and the dreaded LDLs or low-density lipoproteins. And don’t forget, nuts are a great source of vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, folic acid, and zinc.