Nuts are so dang good for you, you all. Can potato chips make that claim? PLEASE. And sure, you’re crunchy, but stuck in our teeth much, popcorn?? Nut are high in plant-based protein, they’re high in fiber — even the fat in nuts is good for you! Let’s break it down, shall we?

✓ Eating Nuts is Good for Your Heart

The fats found in nuts are the monounsaturated type — the heart-healthy type that help decrease the LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) in your blood. (These are the bad cholesterol that stick to your artery walls and clog them up.) Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans can also prevent metabolic syndromes like high blood pressure, reducing your risk of heart attack. Nuts are also high in omega-3 fatty acids which can keep your heart rhythms as smooth and steady as a D’Angelo song.

✓ Eating Nuts Can Prevent Chronic Diseases

Though the evidence has been a bit inconsistent on a case-by-case basis, the current census is that eating tree nuts could play a role in lowering cancer risk. A diet high in tree nuts like pecans, walnuts, and almonds is also linked with lower blood sugar in people with Type-2 diabetes. At any rate, having a handful of cocoa almonds is definitely a tasty example of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” — and bonus: cocoa is high in polyphenols!

✓ Nuts Help Maintain Gut Health

Adding nuts to your diet can help keep your digestive tract in tip-top shape. Dr. Sooraj Tejaswi, doctor of internal medicine and gastroenterology at UC Davis, recommends eating nuts as part of gut health maintenance. Our gourmet almond snacks are not only high in fiber and a nutritious alternative to other crunchy snacks, but have only a third of the sugar found in a banana.

✓ Eating Nuts Can Stave Off Dementia

Recent studies suggest that we might stave off mental decline by adding nuts to our diet. Eating walnuts stimulates brain waves — improving concentration and focus in the process. One study showed that eating antioxidant-rich pecans and walnuts resulted in an increase in brain waves linked to problem-solving, and multiple other studies have shown that a nut-rich diet is associated with lower rates of dementia.

✓ Eating Nuts Helps Maintain Gorgeous Skin and Glossy Hair

It’s a fact: a diet high in nuts is linked to a natural glow. Almonds are high in antioxidants that help prevent the deterioration of cells in your skin and hair, and the heart-healthy fats in nuts help keep you moisturized from the inside out — and moisturized skin is supple skin. Walnuts’ high levels of B-vitamins also help keep skin hydrated.