Are pistachios currently the most popular nut? Judging by their ubiquity in vending machines and on pastries, perhaps. But ...

Most nuts are going to provide healthy fat, fiber and protein ... dietitian nutritionist Danielle Crumble Smith. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, sometimes referred to as "good cholesterol." ...

For years, dieters have shunned nuts because of their high fat content. Well, you can forget everything you ever heard about nuts, and delight in knowing they are now considered health food!

Perhaps most surprising of all, considering their high-calorie content, nuts eaten in moderation don't promote weight gain—a contradiction of common dietary guidelines from the 1990s.