GARLIC, ONIONS, NUTS CUT HEALTH RISKS

In a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and involving tens of thousands of women followed for 16 years, it was found that eating the equivalent of a handful of nuts, or a tablespoon of peanut butter, at least five days a week, cut the incidence of adult-onset diabetes by 20 percent. In an earlier study by the same institution it was found that nuts contain fats that are heart-healthy and, when nuts are eaten in moderation, their caloric content is more than compensated for by their positive contribution to heart health.

Eating almonds, in moderation, can reduce levels of "LDL (the bad cholesterol). According to a recent Canadian study it was reported in the journal "Circulation" participants received either almonds or muffins as snack food and had their blood tested periodically. Those who ate almonds as snacks showed a reduction in cholesterol greater than shown by those who ate muffins.

The more garlic, shallots, and onions a man eats, the less chance he has of getting prostate cancer, according to a report published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute." This study was based upon interviews with several hundred Chinese men. Scallions proved most helpful, with the researchers estimating that eating one-tenth of an ounce of scallions daily reduced the chance of prostate cancer by 70 percent.