Nuts & seeds

Nuts and seeds are an excellent source of protein and therefore of energy. This is particularly true if you are a vegetarian or have limited meat in your diet. They're also high in fibre which helps your digestive system. In addition, nuts and seeds contain a good variety of essential vitamins and minerals. They can make a tasty alternative snack but they're not particularly low in calories so be careful how many you consume. For example a 100g of whole almonds contains 612 calories while the same amount of Brazil nuts has 687. Cashew nuts are slightly less at 584 calories per 100g. Even a small packet of salted peanuts comes to 311 calories. In fact, you should really try to avoid the salted variety as too much salt causes high blood pressure.

There are also many different types of edible seeds. Some of the most popular are sunflower seeds at 585 calories per 100g and sesame seeds which contain 610 calories per 100g.

While nuts and seeds can be a good way to get unsaturated fat, which your body needs and which actually helps reduce cholesterol levels, they can contain saturated fats that lead to weight gain and heart disease. The key here is moderation.