The Good News: Nuts for Heart Health
You’ve probably heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but did you know a handful of nuts could do the same for your heart?
A big new study from the University of Oslo and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, along with other researchers, shows that eating nuts regularly can actually help your heart.
The study looked at 60 earlier studies and is part of a project to create new food guidelines for people living in Nordic countries.
How Many Nuts Do You Need?
So, how many nuts are we talking about? According to Erik Arnesen, a researcher at the University of Oslo, eating about a handful or 30 grams of nuts every day can lower your risk of heart issues by 20 to 25%.
That’s pretty amazing when you consider that most adults in places like Norway, Sweden, and Finland only eat about 4 grams of nuts daily. Some people don’t eat any nuts or seeds at all!
Every Nut Counts
Don’t worry if you can’t eat a whole handful every day. Even a few nuts are better than none.
While almonds, pistachios, and walnuts seem to be the best for lowering bad stuff in your blood like cholesterol, Arnesen says there’s not enough proof to say one type of nut is better than another.
The reason nuts are so good for you is that they help keep your blood cholesterol low. Why is this important?
High cholesterol can lead to fatty stuff building up in your arteries. When this happens, it becomes hard for blood to flow and can lead to heart attacks.
Not Sure About Strokes and Diabetes Yet
The study also looked into whether nuts could lower the risk of other health problems like strokes and diabetes type 2. The answer for now is: they’re not sure.
Nuts don’t seem to affect blood pressure, a major factor behind strokes, and it’s unclear if they’re good for blood sugar levels, which matter when it comes to diabetes.
The Takeaway: Eat Those Nuts!
While the study doesn’t suggest that nuts can replace medicines for treating high cholesterol, it does say that their positive effects are good enough to be considered a way to prevent heart issues in the general public.
So, next time you’re looking for a snack, consider grabbing a handful of nuts. Not only are they tasty, but they could also be a lifesaver for your heart.
With heart problems being one of the leading causes of death globally, this simple dietary change could make a world of difference.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease and calcium supplements could harm your heart health.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies that artificial sweeteners in food are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, and results showing people who have the lowest heart disease and stroke risks.
The study was published in Food & Nutrition Research.
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