Switch nutrition-empty crouton crunch
for the healthy crunch of nuts. Photo
by Jason M | SXC.

Instead of carb- and salt-laden croutons on your salad, try nuts as a healthy, crunchy substitute.

The best “salad nuts”: almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts, the heart-healthy nuts approved by the FDA.

These varieties contain more heart-healthy monounsatured fat and less than 4g of saturated fat per 50g (1.8 ounces).

Walnuts are the healthiest nuts of all, containing a significantly higher amount of alpha linolenic acid.* A daily 1- or 2-ounce serving of nuts is recommended by doctors and nutritionists.

*Linolenic acid is a type of plant-derived omega 3 fatty acid, similar to that found in salmon. Many studies show that it lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) levels.

You’ll use fewer calories if you chop the nuts roughly instead of using them whole. Instead of consuming one nut per forkful, you’ll have at least twice as much crunch spread throughout the salad.

It takes just seconds to chop them with a knife or food chopper; or you can pay for the convenience of buying chopped nuts.