You can add this food item to your diet as a snack or incorporate it into other meals.

Nuts can be good for heart health, some studies show (Image: Getty Images)

Affordable and convenient, one could do worse than snacking on nuts which pack some major health benefits. Great though most are, not all nuts are made with equal minerals and vitamins.

Certain have specific health benefits, so you can choose which ones you want to eat depending on what you want to prioritise in your diet. The British Heart Foundation says: “We’re eating more nuts than ever in the UK, partly because of a greater interest in health and plant-based eating.” You may think nuts are unhealthy due to their fat content but there are plenty of nutrient-rich options and one can even help lower your risk of a heart attack.

Walnuts are a popular choice of nut (Image: Getty Images)

Reports say walnuts can be good for heart health, food outlet Mashed writes: “Not only do those things all help maintain good heart health, but some studies suggest adding them to your regular diet can lower your risk of a heart attack by as much as 51 percent.

“A healthy helping of walnuts will also help you ward off depression – they contain omega 3 oils that are shown to raise serotonin levels in the brain.”

In recent years, the type and range of nut products has grown to be increasingly popular, including a choice of nut butters and nut milks as well as whole nuts.

Eating Well says: “It is totally okay to enjoy a small handful of nuts every day (be sure to check for shriveling or blemishes, which can be a sign your nuts have gone bad).

“If you have specific health concerns, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, you may want to choose unsalted nuts rather than salted or flavored ones.”

You can eat nuts as a snack on their own or you could sprinkle some into breakfast cereal (Image: Getty Images)

You can add more nuts to your diet even if you don’t want to eat them as standalone snacks.

One way you can add nuts to your food is in your breakfast cereal. Choose which nuts you want to add and sprinkle a few in which will not only be a healthy addition to your meal but it will create a crunchy texture.

You can also add nuts to salad, for example you could add a handful of toasted pine nuts, pecans, or pistachios into your favorite leafy green salad.

Nuts in your salad can serve as a healthier substitute for traditional croutons that are usually heavily processed and lacking nutrition.

By adding more nuts to your diet, you could gain extra minerals and vitamins ensuring your diet is healthy.