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The politics of surviving COVID-19 and nuts

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Assorted nuts. (304020)
Assorted nuts. Credit: Pavel Kalenik on Unsplash

While wiling away the hours at home, binging on Netflix, HBO Extra, Amazon Prime and other streaming and direct movie channels, we usually reach for an assortment of snacks and fast foods to accompany us. Cool.

However, we sometimes grab up and chow down quick things that are very likely to harm us as we wait out our COVID-19 house arrest sentences.

Because we want you around, to keep reading this column, here is a set of quick picks you should enjoy, or you really should avoid like the plague.

1- Peanuts are great, if you don’t have that worrisome peanut allergy. They offer solid protein and healthy fats, but know that they also are very high in calories. They can pump up your tummy relatively quickly.

2 – Sweet almonds, one of California’s most famous foods, is a high protein, low calorie and delicious “superfood.” They are not, however, good for this state’s future, since they require enormous amounts of water to grow.

3 – Pecans are the bomb. They are great antioxidants, high in healthy fats and in Vitamin E. They are also a quick, efficient source of beta-sitosterol which is great for male prostate health.

4 -Cashews are not glamorous, but they taste good and doctors often recommend them. But like almonds, for different reasons, they are not good for the state’s environmental health.

5 – Along with pecans, close to the best nut for your snacks is the always-popular pistachios. A small amount of pistachios—about an ounce– has as much potassium as one banana, and the nuts are great in combating type 2 diabetes and in keeping the weight down.

6 -Two rather strange recommendations are hazelnuts and chestnuts ( yes, people do really eat them roasted and unroasted). Hazelnuts are great for vitamins A and B, dietary fiber and are good for acquiring “good” cholesterol. Chestnuts are low in fat and calories and are good sources of protein, fiber, and Vitamin C.

7 – Stay away from Pine Nuts, no matter how many backyard campfire nights you have. They leave a bitter, metallic taste in your mouth that lingers on and on.

8 – Macadamia nuts may look fabulous and taste good, but they are walking weight-bombs. Unless you are addicted to fat-causing foods, push them away from you quickly.

9 – Brazil Nuts bring a little dignity to the nuts table and are good for you as long as you only eat them in moderation. They contain too much selenium and can poison you in large portions.

10 – Stay the hell away from Bitter Almonds. They contain cyanide and will cause you very serious harm even in small amounts.

11 – If you want an ideal nut, the overall best of the batch is Walnuts. They provide serotonin, which helps ease depression (easily brought on by too much in-house non-activity), they have vitamin E, they help with heart health and help prevent heart attacks.

If none of these catch your fancy, you can always over-indulge on FOX TV. The assortment of nuts there will surely drive you stir crazy.

Survive and prosper.

Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.

DISCLAIMER: The beliefs and viewpoints expressed in opinion pieces, letters to the editor, by columnists and/or contributing writers are not necessarily those of OurWeekly.

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