Eating certain types of nuts, including almonds, pistachios and walnuts, may help reduce the risk of heart disease. They contain heart-healthy unsaturated fat and may help lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol. Walnuts also contain a plant form of omega-3 fatty acids, almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, and peanuts are a good source of niacin; all of them are good sources of protein and fiber.
But while nuts are a good substitute for chips or other less healthy snacks, they do have a lot of calories (pistachios, 82 calories per oz; almonds, 165 calories per oz; walnuts, 185 per oz). So don’t add them to your diet without making sure to reduce calories somewhere else.