All nuts are not created equally!

Almonds help reduce heart disease and diabetes risk, and maintain your desired weight.

A high-fat food that's good for you? It's not an oxymoron, it's almonds. A one-ounce, 160-calorie handful is rich in monounsaturated "healthy" fats, the same liquid fat found in olive oil. They're also an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, and a good source of protein and fiber, as well as potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron.

Over the years, several studies have demonstrated almonds help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol, and contribute to the prevention of diabetes and heart disease. And now researchers are learning almonds may also help maintain your desired weight.

Despite the addition of a handful of almonds to a daily diet, people do not gain weight. New preliminary research presented at the Experimental Biology (EB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on May 1, looked at why that is. Bottom line, it seems that calories absorbed by the body are less than predicted, and it may have something to do with how quickly these tasty nuts are chewed.

It could very well be that the calories listed on the food label are more than the amount actually available in our bodies.

And that's great news for everyone trying to maintain their ideal weight, and concerned about heart disease and diabetes. So get more almonds into your diet today, either as a snack or part of a meal.