Nuts for 'Valentine's Day' give a handful love with almonds, brazil nuts, cashew

With research indicating that just a handful of mixed nuts each day can significantly reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, the Nuts for Life program encourages sweethearts to give from the heart, for the heart, this 'Valentine's Day' .

From crunchy almonds to creamy macadamias, each variety is rich in vitamins and minerals and makes an ideal Valentine's Day snack - it's just a case of taking your pick or picking all of them. Choose from:

Almonds

- Are rich in Vitamin E, with just a handful (30g, about 20 nuts) providing 85% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and has antioxidant properties. It's important to eat foods rich in healthy fats such as nuts to maintain heart health .

- Today we throw rice and birdseed, but once upon a time the Romans showered newlyweds with almonds as a fertility charm .

Brazil nuts

- Are an excellent source of selenium, a vital mineral and antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of heart disease . Just two Brazil nuts can provide your entire daily requirementof selenium .

- They're called Brazil nuts because they're the seeds of a very large tree from the Amazon rainforest. Brazil nuts for international trade come entirely from wild collection rather than from cultivated nut orchards .

Cashew nuts

- Are a firm favourite and with good reason - cashews are a good source of magnesium, needed for strong bones . Count 15 cashews in a handful.

- Cashews are actually related to poison ivy! The inside of their shell contains a poisonous resin related to the poison ivy family, known as cashew balm which must be carefully removed before the nut can be consumed .

Chestnuts

- Mount Olympus, home of the gods, was said to have had an abundance of chestnut trees producing this sweet, edible nut .

- Chestnuts have about 50% water content, and are high in low GI carbohydrates unlike other nuts which are low in carbohydrate .

Hazelnuts

- Contain significant amounts of B group vitamins including folate and Vitamin B6 not to mention a source of vitamin E. Plus, they are the highest in fibre of all the nuts. An average handful contains 20 hazelnuts.

- Hazelnuts are referred to in a manuscript found in China dating from 2838 BC. At that time, the hazelnut took its place among the five sacred nourishments God bestowed on humans . Maybe no longer sacred, but certainly very worthy.

Macadamias

- Brimming with healthy monounsaturated fats, eating macadamias have been found to lower blood cholesterol . Fifteen macadamias make one handful.

- It takes over 300 pounds per square inch to break open the shell of a macadamia without ruining what's inside. !

Pecans

- With a number of essential nutrients pecans are a great all round snack for the health conscious. They have also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol . Feast on a handful of 15 pecans.

- "Pecan" is apparently from the native North American Algonquin word meaning "a tough nut to crack" . Indeed they are, so best to use a nut cracker.

Walnuts

- Walnuts contain the highest source of natural plant omega 3s called alpha linoleic acid - ALA . Eating walnuts is like wearing a seat belt for your heart! Enjoy 10 whole walnuts in an average serve.

- What nut was believed in medieval times to have healing properties for headaches? The walnut! Ancient Greeks believed the walnut and its shell resembled the human skull and brain .

Pistachios

- Pistachios are rich in protein for active bodies and contain natural plant sterols . Split 60 pistachios for an average serve of 30g.

- Legend has it that the pistachio tree was the symbol of happiness and plenty for lovers, who met beneath its branches on moonlit nights, and it was the favourite of the Queen of Sheba .