Going Wild About Nuts

摘要

Most nuts are the seeds or dried fruits of trees. Nuts were once shunned as a high-fat, high-calorie food. Today, they're one of the darlings of the menu due to their nutritional value and potential health benefits. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), per capita consumption of tree nuts rose from about 1.8 pounds in 1965 to 3.6 pounds in 2004, while consumption of peanuts (actually a legume, like dried beans) increased from 1.6 pounds to 2 pounds. Nuts are often processed into pastes (butters), flours, cooking oils and milk-like beverages. Nuts usually contain 160 to 200 calories and 14 to 19 grams of fat (at least 75% of calories) per ounce.