abstract background : nut intake has been associated with lower mortality .
 
it is essential for blood clotting , muscle movement , and inflammation .
for years , fat was a four - letter word .
but the shift did n't make us healthier , probably because we cut back on healthy fats as well as harmful ones .
for long - term health , some fats are better than others .
we switched to low - fat foods .
the effects are equal in men and women .
saturated fats fall somewhere in the middle .