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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

A recent review of 60 studies found that eating nuts every day contributed to a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that eating just a handful of nuts each day, which is roughly equivalent to 30 grams, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 25%. The reason for this reduced risk, according to the study’s co-author Erik Arnesen, is because nuts have a beneficial effect on the cholesterol levels in our blood. And, as we all know, too much cholesterol leads to too much fat buildup in the arteries, which in turn leads to cardiovascular disease.

Plus, nuts are a perfect part of your holiday menu!

Looking for ways to incorporate more nuts into your diet and reap the heart health benefits that they offer? Try snacking on them plain, either raw or roasted and salted! Or, if you’d rather eat them alongside something else, check out the following recipes that feature a hearty serving of nuts from Fill Your Plate!

1. Fill Your Plate – Pistachio Salad
2. Fill Your Plate – Almond Cookie Dough
3. Fill Your Plate – DIY Dark Chocolate Almond Bars
4. Fill Your Plate – Orange Almond Salad
5. Fill Your Plate – Pecan Pie Bars
6. Fill Your Plate – Nutty Medjool Date Cheese Ball