ALMONDS: GOOD FOR YOUR GUT

Almonds contain the most fiber - about three grams per ounce - compared to other nuts, and are richest in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

Almonds contain the most fiber - about three grams per ounce - compared to other nuts, and are richest in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds may even help you slip into those skinny jeans: In one International Journal of Obesity study, when two groups of obese adults followed low-calorie diets for six months, those who included almonds in their weight loss plans lost more weight than those who ate more complex carbohydrates. Other research shows that almonds are especially healthy for people worried about their blood sugar: Those who ate about 20 percent of their calories from almonds for four months saw their bad LDL cholesterol drop and their insulin resistance decrease compared to a control group who didn't eat them. Almonds may even safeguard your gut: A test-tube study (funded by the Almond Board of California) found that the nuts raised levels of good bacteria that bolster the body's immune system. Serving info: About 23 nuts = 170 c less