Go Nuts This Holiday Season

Get ready for the nut bowls at your upcoming holiday parties -- and grab just a handful. I mean it: Just one handful.

Nuts are nutritious. But they contain 160 to 200 calories per ounce. Remember that. And remember these nutty facts too.

• Almonds. Gobble 24 of them, and you'll get 35 percent of your daily value of vitamin E, a good stress buster. Eat with the skin on to get the biggest dose.
• Macadamia nuts. They have the most monounsaturated fats -- those are good.
• Brazil nuts. Just eat one a day and you'll completely meet your body's need for the antioxidant mineral selenium. You'll also get some complete protein and some zinc. Beware: You'll get some saturated fat too (five grams in six to eight of these nuts).
• Walnuts. Get your omega-3 fatty acids here.
• Hazelnuts. These contain the mood-stabilizing tryptophan -- there's 20 percent of the RDA is in every ounce (about 20 hazelnuts).
• Peanuts. Peanuts aren't actually nuts -- they're legumes. Still, they are rich in folate, niacin and riboflavin and ounce for ounce, they pack the same protein punch as beef (seven grams), minus the saturated fat.