Pistachios
Pistachios are great tasting and are a wise, nutritious snacking choice. A one-ounce serving contains more than 10% of the Daily Value for dietary fiber, vitamin B-6, thiamin, phosphorus and copper.

A serving of pistachios is naturally cholesterol free and contains 13g of total fat, of which just 1.5g is saturated fat. This is good news for pistachio lovers because the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans calls for choosing a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate, not low, in total fat.

Almonds
Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, and a good source of fiber.
It also offers heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron.

Eating a daily handful of almonds a day may lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. In a clinical trial published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, men and women who ate one daily ounce of almonds for a month lowered their LDL cholesterol by 4.4 percent. Those who ate two daily ounces of almonds lowered their LDL cholesterol even more – by 9.4 percent – and maintained their weight.

Cashews
Cashew nuts are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to the coastal areas of northeastern Brazil.

Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 75% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 75% of this unsaturated fatty acid content is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. Just a quarter-cup of these delicious nuts supplies 37.4% of the daily value for monounsaurated fat.

In addition to their healthful monounsaturated fats, cashews are a good source of copper, magnesium, zinc and biotin.

Macadamia
Macadamia nuts have a very hard seed coat enclosed in a green husk that splits open as the nut matures. It holds a creamy white kernel containing up to 80% oil and 4% sugar. When roasted it develops a uniform color and texture. Macadamia Nuts are rich in monounsaturated oils, which lower cholesterol and help prevent heart attacks. The macadamia nut is comprised of protein, carbohydrates and unsaturated fats. It contains some Vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium and iron. Studies are also showing that use of unsaturated oils, like macadamia nut oil, reduces the occurrence of breast cancer.