Abstract
Nuts are an important source of nutrients for both humans and wildlife.Tree nuts are a rich source of tocopherols
and total phenols and contain a wide variety of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins. In addition to being a rich
source of several essential vitamins and minerals, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids,and fiber, most tree
nuts provide an array of phytochemicals that may contribute to the health benefits attributed to this whole food.
Although many of these constituents remain to be fully identified and characterized, broad classes include the
carotenoids, hydrolyzable tannins, lignans, naphthoquinones, phenolic acids, phytosterols, polyphenols, and
tocopherols. These phytochemicals have been shown to possess a range of bioactivity, including antioxidant,
antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and hypocholesterolemic properties. Nuts (or seeds generally) are
also a significant source of nutrition for wildlife. This is particularly true in temperate climates where animals
such as jays and squirrels store acorns and other nuts during the autumn to keep them from starving during the
late autumn, all of winter, and early spring.
Many nuts are good sources of vitamins E and B2 (riboflavin, an antioxidant), and are rich in protein, folate, fiber,
and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium. Raw or unroasted
walnuts are considered the healthiest, with twice as many anti-oxidants as other nuts.
Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pea nuts may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors.
Epidemiological studies, suggested that nut eating was associated with diminished risk of coronary artery disease
(CAD).
In reviewing the history, nutrient composition, and the epidemiological and clinical studies of nuts, the need to
make nuts and oil-rich seeds a more important part of modern, healthy diets should become evident to the
reader.
KEY WORDS: nuts, antioxidant, healthy life, vitamins