Nuts can generally lower your chances of suffering from cardiovascular maladies if eaten regularly throughout the week.

In the endless battle against heart disease and bad cholesterol, one type of food is standing out from the crowd of ‘would be’ super foods in terms of performance: nuts.

Several studies in the US and around the world have already attributed the power of nuts to lower LDL (or “bad cholesterol”) and generally improve a person’s cardiovascular profile.   According to a more recent investigation of the health benefits of nuts, headed by Loma Linda University researchers, consuming more than two ounces of nuts everyday for a few weeks produced long-lasting, positive effects.

The study involved more than five hundred respondents (males and females), none of which were taking any medications to control their blood pressure or cholesterol levels.  After approximately two months of natural “nut therapy”, the findings are as follows:

• 5.1% total cholesterol reduction
• 7.4% LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol reduction
• 10.2% reduction of triglycerides
• 8.3% improvement of bad cholesterol & good cholesterol ratios

Who will benefit the most from eating nuts?  The researchers have pointed out three key groups that will benefit the most, based on the respondent profiles and the results of the actual study:

• Individuals who are generally slim or of normal weight
• Individuals who already have a high level of “bad cholesterol” or LDL cholesterol
• Individuals whose main diet is composed mainly of high-fat foods

As can be seen from the three profiles, nearly everyone can benefit from consuming nuts on a regular basis.  And there are even more reasons to love this health food: according to Joan Sabate MD, one of the key researchers of the Loma Linda University study, nuts are packed with essential nutrients such as protein and fiber, which makes it an ideal snack.

If you like the idea of lowering your LDL cholesterol, you will not be stuck with oatmeal-based snacks anymore – you have a potent, alternative choice in the form of nuts.  All nuts will provide the same heart-healthy benefits.  So whether you love pecans or macadamias, your heart is still getting much needed help from the natural compounds found in nuts.

More reasons to love nuts

Need more reasons to start munching on nuts more often? Here they are:
1. Eating at least 1 ounce of nuts everyday can reduce your risk for developing coronary heart problems by a whopping forty percent.  That is almost half the total risk for this devastating group of cardiovascular diseases.

2. As early as 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration has already recognized the efficacy at which walnuts can lower blood cholesterol levels.  According to studies, walnuts contain lots of omega-3 fatty acids.  In addition to the heart-healthy fatty acid, walnuts also come with a healthy dose of fiber and vitamin E, which can help reduce cell damage due to free radicals.

Fiber on the other hand, encourages a healthy digestive process by helping ‘sweep away’ the solid waste.  Getting enough fiber everyday is becoming a problem in modern society because many modern diets are high in fat and animal protein but low in roughage.  Eating walnuts and other nuts packed with fiber can help reduce the problems associated with low-fiber diets.

3. What about peanuts?  Peanuts are not really nuts; they come from plants that are part of the legume family.  Fortunately, peanuts have the same chemical compounds as most nuts.  So when you are eating peanuts (a type of legume) you are still getting the advantages of eating ‘true nuts’.

4. According to studies on pistachios, the nut can slightly reduce the LDL cholesterol in the body and raise the good cholesterol level.  I’m actually snacking on some pistachios right now as I’m writing this article!

5. Plan to get pregnant anytime soon?  If you do, eating nuts gives you access to a healthy source of folic acid. Folic acid is an important compound that prevents fetuses from developing physical and neurological abnormalities.

6. According to a study performed by researchers from the Physician’s Health Study, people who ate nuts at least twice a week are at less risk of dying from heart attacks than those who did not.

7. Peanuts contain the heart-healthy compound resveratrol which has been linked to the decreased incidence of heart disease in French society.  Though you get less resveratrol with peanuts, consuming peanuts regularly can supply you enough of the compound to ward off heart problems.

Tips for healthy munching

While nuts offer a lot of health benefits, it still has calories and some amount of fat.  Here are some tips for healthy munching:

1. Avoid eating salted nuts; the sodium used for flavor enhancement can raise your blood pressure.  Go for plain or unsalted commercial nuts.  Salt doesn’t really add much depth to a nut’s natural flavor.

2. If you are eating more nuts, you have to reduce your intake of other snack foods like potato chips and sodas.  (As an added note, if you like soda with your snacks, try substituting it with water or natural fruit juices).

3. If you like fresh greens, chop some nuts and add them to your salads. The texture and crunchiness of nuts will greatly improve your salad.  Also, you are getting even more fiber from eating fresh greens!

Sources:
aolhealth.com
heartdisease.about.com
cholesterol.about.com
cholesterol.about.com
www.vegan.org.nz
www.healthcastle.com

Pistachios are a great way to start the day – because it protects the heart and lowers bad cholesterol.

Pistachios are well-loved nuts, not just in the United States but around the globe. We have even more reasons to love this health nut: researchers from Pennsylvania State University  concluded that pistachios are ideal for controlling cholesterol levels because it’s natural packed with nutrients and good fats which helps the cardiovascular system work more efficiently.

The study involved 28 respondents (adult males and females) who were given pistachios during the research period. The nuts had a marked effect on the LDL or bad cholesterol level of the test respondents.

Other benefits of pistachios

Pistachios are packed with lutein and other organic compounds that serve as anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants reduce cell damage and further protects cells from the ravages of free radicals.

Coupled with the right diet and exercise, a heart-healthy meal plan consisting of pistachios, vegetables and lean meat can significantly contribute to decreasing cardiovascular problems and even cancer. It’s all about synergy – the components of a fitness plan must be synergistic with each other to work well.

In addition to being loaded with anti-oxidants, pistachio nuts are also great sources of vitamins and minerals. Minerals like iron, which are present in pistachios, are heart protectors. In the long term, eating foods similar to pistachios will enhance the protective effect of a heart-healthy diet.

Tips for lowering LDL cholesterol

1. As much as possible, stick to lean, white meats and avoid red meats. Red meats are packed with bad cholesterol (LDL) and only make things worse.

2. Moderate consumption of red wine (and other wines with resveratrol) may reduce LDL and protect your heart, too. Note that a small quantity of wine, drank regularly every week is sufficient. Do not overdo alcohol consumption.

3. Eat foods high in fiber like fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes

4.Cold water fishes packed with omega-3 fatty acids are also ideal in combating high cholesterol levels.

5. 42.5 grams of healthy nuts like pistachios and even walnuts can help lower your cholesterol over the long term.

Summary: Pistachios are a great way to start the day – because it protects the heart and lowers bad cholesterol.

Sources:
webmd.com
mayoclinic.com
cholesterol.about.com

Pistachios are a healthy source of Omega-6 fatty acids.

There are goods and bads when it comes to reporting on health news – and oftentimes, they’re one and the same.

For example, it’s great that health news is constantly flowing and improving on itself. What was true today may not be true tomorrow. In other words, science discovers something and makes adjustments to previous research, in the hopes that this new found knowledge improves on what was previously believed to be accurate.

At the same time, though, this constant flow of information can be extremely confusing – if not irritating – because what was true today may be contradicted several years from now through advancements in technology and learning (just how dangerous smoking is to health today compared to 50 years ago is perhaps the best example).

A great example of this dilemma is omega-6 fatty acids. Last November, I wrote about omega-6 fatty acids and how they shouldn’t be confused with omega-3s, essentially saying that omega-3s are far healthier than omega-6s.

I don’t change my tune on that point, for omega-6 fatty acids are found in lots of processed foods, and its believed that the average person gets far more omega-6 fatty acids than they should be getting – 10 times more, in fact.

Further, unlike omega-3s, high levels of omega-6 fatty acids in the body have been linked to a bevy of health concerns, like suppressing the immune system, cause prostate tumor cell growth, and increasing blood clotting above and beyond the normal rate (thus blocking blood flow to and from the heart).

But unlike trans fats and saturated fats, which have no nutritional value whatsoever, the same can’t be said for omega-6 fats. In other words, they’re not ALL bad, as my previously article may have implied.

As I said previously, omega-6s are found in lots of unhealthy food sources, which is why experts believe we’re consuming too much of them. On the other hand, they’re also found in plenty of healthy sources, like nuts, seeds and various healthy cooking oils.

One such healthy oil is safflower oil. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Since when was safflower oil considered a ‘healthy’ oil?” While I grant you it’s not as healthy as, say, extra virgin olive oil, it does have its redeeming qualities.

For instance, researchers at the Ohio State University had two groups of women – 35 in all – take one of two oils for 16 weeks: safflower oil or conjugated linoleic acid. Both oils are chock full of omega-6 fatty acids.

After 16 weeks of supplementing with approximately one and two-thirds tablespoons of either oil – and making sure that each woman did not change anything else about their diet or exercise habits (all of the women were considered obese) – all of the women saw improvements in weight levels.

Those women who supplemented with the safflower oil increased lean muscle tissue by an average of two pounds and decreased their girth around the middle by an average of four pounds. Due to the increased muscle mass, however, they did not decrease their BMI levels.

On the other hand, those women who consumed the CLA did see a decrease in BMI levels, dropping overall weight by about four pounds and their BMI levels by half a point on average.

Remember, these improvements were without any changes in their caloric intake or activity levels. So while the weight loss levels may be marginal at best, the fact that weight levels dropped at all without changes to their diet plan is pretty impressive.

But the benefits of omega-6s didn’t stop at the scale. Blood sugar levels dropped by as much as 19 points for some women (the women’s blood sugar levels were between 129 to 148; anything above 110 milliliters per deciliter is risky territory).

This confirms why omega-6 fatty acids are highly recommended to people with diabetes, not to mention those who want to improve their overall heart health (the American Heart Association is a staunch advocate of omega-6 fatty acids).

As we stand today, most people are getting far more omega-6 fatty acids than needed. So deficiency isn’t the problem (like it is with omega-3s). The problem stems from the sources of foods we eat.

So instead of eating foods that are unhealthy and rich with omega-6 – like creamy salad dressings and thick mayonnaise – opt for healthy omega-6 sources instead, like fish, pistachios, olives and the aforementioned safflower oil (used sparingly).

If you take anything away from this article, take this: Don’t paint omega-6 with a broad “bad” stroke. They are just as crucial to a healthy diet as omega-3s are, so long as they are consumed from healthy sources and in proper proportion to omega-3s. Per the American Heart Association’s recommendation, shoot for between 12 and 22 grams per day, depending on your activity level, age and gender.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
americanheart.mediaroom.com
optimal-heart-health.com