In the 1963 comedy "The Nutty Professor," Jerry Lewis' character swallows a potion that transforms him from scientific nerd into the self-assured (and very obnoxious) Buddy Love.

In the end, of course, that nutty professor re-emerges and gets the girl because of all the goodness he has inside.

Makes perfect sense to us! Because what's inside some nutshells is so good - and good for you - that a daily helping can bag you a longer and healthier life.

Recent research that looked at 76,464 women and 42,498 men is trumpeting the news that people who ate 1 ounce of nuts daily had a 20 percent lower death rate over a four-year period than folks who never ate nuts. Seems almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts (dry-roasted for Mike, softened in water for Mehmet), plus peanuts (a legume), all do the trick.

That's because they deliver unsaturated fats, vitamins, proteins, fiber and polyphenols that help slow cell aging, reduce inflammation and improve cardiovascular health. That cuts your risk of cancer, diabetes, memory loss, stroke and heart and respiratory disease. We say the health benefits of an ounce of nuts a day are the equivalent of walking 6,000 more steps a day!

Bonus Tip: Eating six walnut halves or 12 almonds 20 minutes before mealtime - they contain 70 calories of healthy fats - slows stomach emptying so that you'll feel full sooner and eat less later. And remember, no matter what the shell looks like, it's what's inside that counts!

© 2013 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.