Eating nuts is good for your heart
There is a significant amount of research around now which highlights the importance of eating nuts regularly for heart health.
It is on the basis of this research that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a qualified health claim for nuts, suggesting that as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, consumption of 1.5 ounces (45g) of most nuts per day may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Scientific evidence has found the following results:
- Eating a handful of nuts (30-50g) most days can lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Nuts are rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, protein and a wide range of cardio-protective nutrients.
- Heart healthy nutrients of nuts include healthy fats, fibre, arginine, plant steroids and antioxidants: Vitamin E, selenium, copper and zinc. It is likely that the combination of these nutrients working together is responsible for their significant lowering of heart disease risk.
- Nuts are nature’s own vitamin pill since each nut has a unique combination of nutrients. Maximum benefits are likely to be obtained by enjoying a wide variety of nuts.
- Nuts are the perfect ready-to-eat snack food, which can be incorporated into a heart-healthy diet in place of typical high saturated fat snacks, such as chips, biscuits and cakes. Be adventurous with nuts and enjoy experimenting with them as ingredients when cooking.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Australia, affecting more than 3.5 million Australians and accounting for 36 percent of all deaths in 2004. CVD kills one Australian every ten minutes. According to the Heart Foundation, 90% of Australian adults have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease and 25% have three or more risk factors.
Of these risk factors, more than 50% have high cholesterol and almost 1/3 have high blood pressure. And despite the increased use of cholesterol-lowering medications, the prevalence of high blood cholesterol has not fallen in the past 20 years.
Nutrional benefits of nuts
Nuts are particularly nutrient dense food, comprising of a range of nutrients, which can contribute to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and maintaining heart health. These include healthy fats, dietary fibre, arginine, plant sterols and a range of vitamins and minerals known to be important for heart health, including folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper.
Nuts are also a unique whole food with a wide range of cardio-protective nutrients and should be included in any diet aimed at promoting heart health.
