10 Holiday Party-Food Dilemmas, Solved

Mixed Nuts or Olives?

The Better Choice: Olives

Like olive oil, olives are high in monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol. They're also low in calories. Each olive has only about five calories and less than a gram of fat, while one pecan, for example, has almost 14 calories and nearly two grams of fat. And though you can toss back numerous nuts almost too easily, olives often require a little more work. And when you're left with a plateful of pits, you'll know exactly how many you've put away.

But… Nuts are also high in monounsaturated fats, and they're a good source of fiber and arginine, an amino acid that helps keep blood vessels relaxed and open.