For many people, they think of nuts as a fatty food to avoid. However, evidence is mounting showing that a small portion of nuts each day is a very healthy thing to do for both the heart and the rest of the body. Because nuts are full of unsaturated fats and a good portion of fiber, they are gaining ground as a go to food for many diet plans. The fact that nuts are good for heart health is merely a bonus for many people. However, research is showing that everyone should eat nuts for heart health reasons.
How does eating nuts contribute to heart health?
The research shows that regular consumption of nuts contributes to heart health in a number of ways. First of all, the unsaturated fats contained in nuts help lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol as well as help raise the HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. Nuts are also a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to help the heart by helping regulate heart rhythms as well as functioning as an anti-oxidant which helps prevent heart damage due to free radical damage on the cellular level. Aside from fish, nuts are the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Other components that contribute to heart health include L-arginine, vitamin E, fiber and plant sterols. Each of these has been shown or linked to heart health in some way. Fiber helps lower cholesterol as well as helps prevent diabetes both of which are heart disease triggers. Plant sterols are also known to help lower cholesterol levels. L-arginine has been shown to help keep arterial walls flexible which helps prevent blood clots which can slow blood flow and cause a host of other conditions should those clots fall off.
Do all nuts provide these heart health benefits?
The quick answer is maybe. While most nuts seem to be healthy, not all have been researched as much as others. Of them, walnuts have been the most studied. Walnuts are high in all of the good things mentioned above and are often the standard which other nuts are compared. Hazelnuts have shown to be even better, having more Omega-3 fatty acids than walnuts as well as being the best source of a cancer-fighting extract known as taxol available. Even peanuts are proving to be healthy, having plenty of fiber as well as unsaturated fats, all the while not technically being a nut. Coconut, another non-nut, is not heart healthy though because it contains quite a bit of saturated fats.
How much should I eat?
Because nuts are high in fat, from 70% to 90% or more depending on the type of nut, moderation is important. Nuts should be used as a way to replace an unhealthy snack such as candy or chips or as a way to reduce the intake of products with saturated fats such as dairy or eggs. A handful is a good amount for a snack and will both help knock out hunger and be a sufficient quantity to get the heart health benefits.
As an alternative, nut oils are an option. While they lack the fiber of the actual nut, they will still be full of the other heart healthy components. They are an excellent replacement in salad dressings and can be used in cooking. These oils can become bitter if overcooked so some experimenting and practice is needed to adjust to using them.
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