Food for Happy Thoughts From Scottsdale Golf Fitness Trainers

You've probably heard that nuts are good for you. They have heart-healthy antioxidants and are a great source of healthy fats. Scottsdale Golf Fitness Trainers want you to know that nuts can also make you feel happy! For the first time, scientists discovered a link between eating nuts and serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is a chemical your brain releases that can suppress appetite, improve heart health, and make you feel calmer and happier. It only takes one ounce of mixed nuts to produce the "happy" effects. The results of the study appeared in the Journal of  Proteome Research. To see the effect of nut consumption on serotonin levels, scientists put 22 patients with metabolic syndrome (symptoms include excess belly fat, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar) on a nut-enriched diet for 12 weeks. This group was compared to another group of patients with metabolic syndrome who were implicitly told to AVOID eating nuts. The scientists then analyzed samples for certain compounds and found evidence of several healthy changes in the body. Most surprising was that the group eating mixed nuts (raw walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) had serotonin metabolites in their systems, which indicates higher serotonin levels in the body. This great news gives you even more good reasons to include nuts in your diet. Just don't go overboard eating them. Even though they have many health benefits, nuts are still very dense in calories, so a little goes a long way. An ounce of nuts equals about a handful. So if you want a healthy snack that has the potential to make you happier too, then "go nuts!" Scottsdale Golf Fitness Trainers recommend sticking with the kinds of nuts used in the study (raw walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) if you're looking for the mood-enhancing effects. Read more health and fitness articles by Scottsdale Golf Fitness Trainers here. References: [1]. Sara Tulipani, Rafael Llorach, Olga Jáuregui, Patricia López-Uriarte, Mar Garcia-Aloy, Mònica Bullo, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Cristina Andrés-Lacueva. Metabolomics Unveils Urinary Changes in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome following 12-Week Nut Consumption. Journal of Proteome Research, 2011