By now you've likely heard that eating nuts is good for you. They are loaded with healthy fats that your body needs in order to function properly as well as help to control blood sugar levels and provide a greater feeling of satiety.

Some studies have shown that snacking on a small handful of nuts between meals can help you to consume fewer calories at your meals, therefore enabling you to lose weight easier.

You do definitely need to be careful however because the calories in nuts do add up fast so if you don't watch your portion size, you can end up consuming too many that will lead to a weight gain. Measure out your snack size (or the amount you add to your meals) in the beginning until you can get a better feel for how many you should be eating.

Here are a few of the benefits that almonds provide you.

1. They will help to lower your blood cholesterol levels. In a world where more and more individuals are consuming diets high in saturated fat, this is a significant point as a poor cholesterol reading can be very devastating to your health.

2. They are full of monounsaturated fats as well as vitamin E, which is really essential to maintaining healthy heart function as and for the prevention of disease.

3. They are a rich source of magnesium, which is one of the minerals that individuals tend to lack in their everyday diets. If you consume ¼ cup of almonds a day you will get almost 25% of your total daily needs.

4. Almonds are very good for those with diabetes because they help to provide control over blood sugar levels.

5. They are full of antioxidants that will help protect your body from free radical damage. This also decreases the risk of cancer in your body.

6. They can help to reduce inflammation of the bodily tissues, which is associated with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure as well as heart disease.

7. They are a rich source of boron, which is particularly important for males because it can help to prevent prostate cancer.

8. They are a good source of protein, therefore are beneficial to add to vegetarian diets.

9. They are easily transportable and don't require any special storage, making them a convenient snack to take anywhere with you.

10. They have less allergenic tendencies. Research shows that the protein that is contained in almonds causes a lesser allergic reaction than that of peanuts, which means more people may be able to enjoy almonds even if they are allergic to peanuts.

So next time you are looking for a quick snack, think about having some almonds. It will do you a lot better than having a more refined snack like rice cakes, a single piece of fruit or even worse yet - something from the vending machine. If you do want to add some carbohydrates to the snack, consider mixing with some low fat popcorn along with a few pretzel sticks. This will not add any additional fat to the snack but will also provide a good dose of fiber as well.