Raw Nuts Protect the Heart

Raw nuts have healthy fats that are essential to the body. Raw nuts can help lower the LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or "bad," cholesterol level in the blood. Raw nuts can reduce your risk of blood clots and can improve the healthy lining of your arteries When nuts are roasted at a temperature higher than 170 degrees, those disease-fighting fats get broken down into free radicals that do just the opposite: contribute to plaque and cardiovascular disease.

Did you know that nuts are also among the best sources of Vitamin E?

Alissa Cohen is the internationally recognized author of Living on Live Food, a raw food chef and the owner of Boston's renowned Grezzo restaurant, and a certified fitness trainer, nutritional consultant and mind-body therapist. This month, Cohen is making her expertise available nationwide with the launch of an online shop in partnership with OpenSky at AlissaCohen.com.