Nuts in your diet are an essential part of having a good and healthy running heart. As part of a healthy diet, nuts are suitable for the heart. Nuts are a great snack food since they’re full of unsaturated fats. In addition, they’re cheap, easy to pack, and easy to store when you’re on the go.
It’s not that important what kind of nuts you eat, though some nuts have more heart-healthy fats and nutrients. You’ll get a ton of nutrition for a bit of package, no matter what kind of nut you eat. Also, you can stick to a heart-healthy diet more quickly if you eat nuts instead of a less healthy snack.
Let’s answer some of the important questions you might have when it comes to consuming nuts for cardiovascular health.
Can Consumption Of Nuts Help Your Heart?
A heart-healthy diet that includes nuts can lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). Too much LDL carries a risk of heart disease. Nuts can reduce your chances of getting blood clots or blood pressure, leading to a fatal heart attack. It seems nuts also improve your artery lining.
What’s In Nuts That Can Help In Lowering Cardiovascular Disease Risk?
In addition to protein, nuts have at least some of these heart-healthy compounds:
- Unsaturated fats. There’s no apparent reason why nuts lower bad cholesterol levels, but the “good” fats they contain – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated – are believed to do so.
- Omega-3 fatty acids. A lot of nuts have omega-3s. A healthy form of fatty acid called omega-3 appears to protect the heart by, among other things, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that could lead to heart attacks. You can also get omega-3 fatty acids from fish, but nuts are the best plant-based source.
- Fiber. Peanuts are a good source of fiber, which can help lower cholesterol. Fiber makes you feel full, so you don’t eat as much. Fiber could also lower your risk of diabetes by keeping your blood sugar level in control.
- The vitamin E in your diet may help prevent plaque buildup in your arteries, narrowing them. Coronary artery disease, chest pain, or a heart attack can be caused by plaque buildup.
- Plant sterols. A substance found in some nuts is plant sterols, known to lower cholesterol. It’s common to add plant sterols to products like margarine and orange juice for added health benefits, but nuts naturally contain sterols.
- L-arginine. You can get l-arginine from nuts, making your artery walls more flexible and reducing the risk of blood clots that can block your arteries.
What Amount Of Nuts Is Considered Healthy In A Diet?
Nuts contain up to 80 percent fat. While most of the fat in this diet is healthy, it is still a lot of calories. This is why it is best to eat nuts in moderation. Nuts are the perfect replacement for saturated fats like those in meat, eggs, and dairy products.
You can substitute nuts or nut spreads for unhealthy saturated fats. According to the American Heart Association, eat four servings of unsalted nuts per week. Also, try raw or dry-roasted nuts instead of fried or roasted. When eaten as part of a balanced diet, walnuts, almonds, and other nuts can lower your cholesterol.
It would be best to have a small handful (1 ounce) of nuts per serving. However, make sure you do this as part of a heart-healthy diet. Nuts are good for your heart, but it won’t help if you’re not cutting back on saturated fat found in dairy products and meats.
Does It Matter What Types Of Nuts You Eat?
Possibly. Nuts are generally healthy, although some nuts appear healthier than others. For example, it has been shown that walnuts contain high omega-3 fatty acids, making them one of the excellent sources of omega 3. Other heart-healthy nuts include almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, and pecans. In addition, peanuts – a legume like beans but not a nut – seem relatively healthy.
A study cited in the circulation article shows that regular consumption of mixed nuts (almond, walnut, peanuts) reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by a staggering 28% as compared to a control diet.
It’s important to remember that you may cancel out the heart-healthy benefits of nuts if they’re covered in chocolate, sugar, or salt.
Some Beneficial Nuts To Consume
The following types of nuts are the most beneficial when it comes to lowering the heart disease risk factors and preventing cardiovascular disease in the long run.
Almonds
Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fats, protein, magnesium, Vitamin B6, folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium, and potassium. They’re also rich in antioxidants such as polyphenol and flavonoids. Almonds are good for the heart because they reduce bad cholesterol levels, increase good cholesterol levels, and decrease triglycerides.
Peanuts
Peanuts are an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, D, K, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. They are also rich sources of antioxidants including phenolics and anthocyanins. Peanuts are good for heart disease prevention because they improve blood flow by increasing nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide helps prevent platelet aggregation which is associated with atherosclerosis. This can prevent the long-term risk of coronary heart disease.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. They are also rich with antioxidants including phenolics, carotenoids, tannins, ellagitannins, and more. Hazelnuts are good for heart health because they reduce LDL cholesterol levels, raise HDL cholesterol levels, lower triglyceride levels, and overall lowering the risk of heart disease.
Macadamias
Macadamias are a good source of protein, calcium, dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc; they are also rich in antioxidants including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and carotenoids. They are also good for the heart because they improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a good source for protein, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals. They are also rich in antioxidants such that alpha-lipoic acid, beta carotene, lutein, and vitamin E. Walnuts have the ability to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides while raising HDL cholesterol.
Pecans
Pecans are a good source of fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and zinc. They have also been found to be rich in antioxidants including phenolics, flavonoids, procyanidins, and ellagic acid. Pecans are beneficial in lowering cardiovascular disease because it lowers blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improves insulin sensitivity, and increases HDL cholesterol.
Best Overall Nut For Heart Health?
Walnuts are considered to be the best nuts for heart health. They have the highest levels of alpha-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that helps reduce inflammation. The anti-inflammatory properties of walnuts may help prevent atherosclerosis. You should aim to consume at least three ounces of walnut per day.
Walnuts are a great source of copper and manganese. This makes them a wonder nut in boosting heart and brain health overall.
How About Nut Oils? Are They Healthy Too?
In addition to omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E., Walnut oil is exceptionally high in omega-3s. There are both saturated and unsaturated fats in nuts oils. You can use them in cooking or as salad dressings. For example, many nut butters like peanut butter contain added oils and sugars for enhancing taste.
You should remember that nut oils react differently to heat than vegetable oils. Overheating nut oils can make them bitter. If you’re using nut oil, keep it in moderation since it’s high in fat and calories. Therefore it’s better to consume nuts in their raw form instead of opting for nut butter form.
BOTTOM LINE
Heart health can be improved by consuming nuts on a regular basis. Consuming healthy nuts is the best way to ensure you’re getting enough omega-3s to get your heart going. When choosing nuts, choose ones that are rich in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats. Choose nuts that aren’t coated in chocolate, sugar, salt, or other ingredients that could cancel out their heart-protective properties. Also,
Lastly, don’t just rely on the dietary factors but also incorporate physical activity in your daily routine. A combination of diet and exercise can yield the best results in the long run.
*Before consuming any of these nuts, please consult your healthcare professional for any potential allergy risk to any of the mentioned nuts.
