If there’s one snack food you should be eating at all those Christmas events, it’s nuts.
They’re high in calories so that means you need to munch them in moderation, but it’s a good idea to include them in your diet.
New research has shown that people who regularly snack on peanuts, Brazil nuts and pistachios live longer than those who don’t.
This conclusion was reached after a 20-year study into the lifestyles of more than 119,000 people. Those who snacked on nuts seven times a week were a fifth less likely to die during the period of the study.
Nuts are packed full of cancer-fighting antioxidants and essential minerals, such as copper, zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese, which are all needed for organs to function properly.
They’re also a good source of vitamins E and B, and can help you cope with stress. The fats they contain are good for your heart – as long as you don’t overdo it – and they fill you up quickly.