Nuts are the new comeback kid of food groups. For a long time nuts were shunned by those of us who ate in fear of fat and unwanted, hard to lose pounds. All of a sudden those of us who are continually watching our waistline and fighting the battle with hard to shed pounds, no longer have to fear the nut! Now, popular low carb diets; from Atkins to the South Beach Diet, tout the benefits of nuts in their diet plans. Nuts have become the snack food par excellence in dieting circles; a satisfying combination of protein and fat.

Who would not be tempted by an afternoon choice of almonds, walnuts, macadamias and filberts? There is one small (perhaps, large) thing to remember: portion control. It is a diet still, after all. The number of nuts you eat is important in its usefulness as a part of your dieting strategy.

I have found two helpful ways to assure that my nut eating stays within limits. First, I always count out the nuts I will be eating prior to beginning to feast on them. This assures I don