If I had to pick a nut to eat, it would be the cashew. My husband too. He sometimes buys the big container when shopping in bulk and together, we manage to polish the whole thing off. Not in one sitting, mind you, but we probably do eat too many, too quickly. And then we swear off these nuts for a while because we're never quite sure how healthy they are, in the whole scheme of nuts.

According to The World's Healthiest Foods, cashews are good, in moderation. Here's why.

• Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts.
  
• About 75 percent of their fat is unsaturated fatty acid, and 75 percent of this fat is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat found in olive oil.
  
• Consuming a handful of cashews four times per week can lower the risk of heart disease.
  
• Consuming a handful of cashews at least twice a week helps lower risk of weight gain.
  
• Cashews contain copper, good for iron utilization, elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue, and the production of the skin and hair pigment called melanin.
  
• Cashews contain magnesium, good for the bones, muscles, and nerves.
  
• Cashews help prevent gallstones.
  
  

So, what's in a cashew? Some pretty good stuff and about 196 calories per one-fourth cup -- another reason to keep this nutty pursuit to a minimum.

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In the market for a tasty, healthy treat? Try blueberries. Why? Read on and you'll find a handful of reasons.

Blueberries are quite low in calories -- there are only 83 calories in one cup, says CalorieKing.com. If for some reason, this is too much for you, you can burn these calories off with any one of the following: 11 minutes of walking, four minutes of jogging, three minutes of swimming, or six minutes of cycling (based on a 35-year-old female standing 5.74 feet tall and weighing 144 pounds). Or you could just pick some berries yourself -- I did the other day and spent about 45 minutes walking up and down rows of bushes, sweating my butt off. I surely burned off a serving or two of these blue berries. Really, though, it doesn't matter to me whether or not I burn them off because they are so darn good for me, the health trade-off is worth the caloric intake.

According to the The World's Healthiest Foods, blueberries are superbly healthy for these reasons.

• They are good for the heart, the brain, and the eyes.
• They protect against colon and ovarian cancers.
• They promote gastrointestinal health.
• They help relieve diarrhea and constipation.
• Their antioxidants neutralize free radical damage to cells and tissues.
  
  

Clearly, blueberries are bursting with health benefits. So buy some, pick some, eat some. They'll do your body good. So will the following antioxidant-rich foods.

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