Most doctors advise healthy diets, combined with exercise, to help reduce the risk for heart disease. Once someone develops heart disease, a person increases the chances of getting a heart attack and stroke. Current research is showing that one simple way to reduce the risk of developing heart disease is by adding nuts into a diet.
Pecan Nuts and Reducing Heart Disease
One of the best ways to prevent heart disease is by consuming foods rich in Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Researchers from Loma Linda University in California have found that eating pecans is a great way to get Vitamin E.
16 men and women participated in a study, involving 3 different types of diets. In the 1st diet, they ate whole pecans. In the 2nd diet, they ate pecans that were blended and mixed with water. In the 3rd diet, they ate a meal that didn’t contain pecans, in order to test the effectiveness of the nuts.
The researchers found that by eating pecans, the participants were able to lower the “bad” cholesterol in their blood by 33%. The effective occurred after only 3 hours into the study.
Ella Haddad, who led the study, says, “Previous research has shown that pecans contain antioxidant factors. Our study shows these antioxidants are indeed absorbed in the body and provide a protective effect against diseases.”
Walnuts
One of the most powerful ways to reduce the risk of heart disease is by including walnuts into a diet. In comparison to the most popular nuts that people eat, walnuts have the highest levels of antioxidants and fiber that benefits the body.
The University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, conducted a study that compared walnuts to other popular nuts. Dr. Joe Vinson led the study. Dr. Vinson says, “Walnuts rank above peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and other nuts.”
Even though walnuts are very powerful, few people consume walnuts, in comparison to the other popular ones. The vitamin E antioxidants that are known to help reduce the risk of heart disease, exist in 2-15 times larger amounts in walnuts than is found in other nuts.
Dr. Vinson says that some people avoid nuts because they believe they’re high in fats. Dr. Vinson says that nuts have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are actually healthy. The type of fat that should be avoided is saturated fat.
Why Nuts Help Fight Heart Disease
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are believed to be healthy because they lower the “bad” cholesterol that can lead to heart disease. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic aren’t exactly sure why, but are certain that it does help.
Nuts also have high omega-3 fatty acid levels. Omega 3 is found to help prevent irregular heart rhythms that may increase the risk for heart attacks. Omega 3 can be found in fish like salmon, but nuts are also an excellent source.
Nuts also contain fiber and some nuts contain plant sterol. Both are known in helping to lower cholesterol. Nuts are also a good source of L-arginine. L-arginine is able to reduce the risk of developing blood clots.
Sources:
Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease: Pecans
Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease: Walnuts
Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease: Why Nuts Help