NATIONAL NUT DAY – October 22 – Food, Not People

National Nut Day is observed annually on October 22nd. This day is NOT about the neighbor that lives down the street or the co-worker who sings with their headphones on. It is a food holiday celebrating a healthy and nutritious snack.

Nuts are a highly prized food and energy source and are a primary source of nutrients for both humans and wildlife. Many of them are used in cooking, eaten raw, sprouted, or roasted as a snack food, and pressed for oil that is used in cookery and cosmetics.

The fats found in nuts, for the most part, are unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated fats.

Many nuts are excellent sources of vitamins E and B2. They are also rich in protein, folate fiber, and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium.

Nuts are essential to animals, especially those in temperate climates, as they store acorns and other nuts during the autumn months to keep from starving during late fall, all winter, and early spring.

Several studies have shown that those who consume nuts regularly are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD). It was in 1993 that nuts were first linked to protection against CHD. Since that time, many clinical trials have found that consumption of various nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, can lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations.

One study has shown that people who ate nuts lived two to three years longer than those who did not. Those who were consuming nuts may have been eating less junk food leading to a longer lifespan. Nuts are healthiest in their raw form.