Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

Ignore The Advice About Nuts

You’ve been told that nuts are high in calories and contain a lot of fat? Well, it’s a fact.
But does that mean you shouldn’t eat them? Of course not. Over the last decade a number of studies have confirmed that eating certain types of unsalted nuts on a regular basis can reduce your risk of heart disease and sudden cardiac deaths. While they are calorically very dense, they are also an excellent source of protein, fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants as well as omega-3 fats. But as with all things, moderation is important.
Eating too many nuts can be a problem because you will be increasing your daily caloric intake. As you know, if you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight.
So what’s the solution?

First, eat nuts that can actually do you some good and avoid the rest. In 2003 the FDA approved health claims for 7 different nuts, including peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, some pine nuts, hazelnuts, and almonds. These nuts provide less than 4g of saturated fats per 50g. You don’t have to limit yourself only to these nuts, but be aware that others may be much higher in fat content. Also, nut allergies are a concern for some, especially children and young adults. But if you decide to make nuts a regular part of your diet, you might also consider pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, because they may provide the same heart healthy benefits.
Second, limit your daily intake of nuts to 1 or 2 ounces. One guideline is to eat only the amount of nuts it takes to fill the palm of your hand. This does not mean a handful of nuts. If you like almonds, for example, just put 8 or 10 almonds in your hand. That’s about the right amount of nuts to consume daily. If you are substituting nuts for some other source of calories you need not worry about gaining weight. In fact, starting your day with a little protein can actually help you lose weight.

I won’t bore you with all the details here, but below I’ve pasted just the conclusions of a number of reports on the subject of nuts in the diet. This is not a magic bullet that will eliminate all heart disease risk, but it is certainly an easy thing to include in your arsenal of weapons against CHD (Coronary Heart Disease).

CONCLUSIONS: Frequent nut consumption may offer postmenopausal women modest protection against the risk of death from all causes and CHD. (University of Minnesota)

CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates a significant inverse relationship between legume intake and risk of CHD and suggests that increasing legume intake may be an important part of a dietary approach to the primary prevention of CHD in the general population. (Tulane University)

CONCLUSIONS: Frequent nut consumption was associated with a reduced risk of both fatal coronary heart disease and non-fatal myocardial infarction. These data, and those from other epidemiological and clinical studies, support a role for nuts in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. (Harvard School of Public Health)

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest potential benefits of higher nut and peanut butter consumption in lowering risk of type 2 diabetes in women. To avoid increasing caloric intake, regular nut consumption can be recommended as a replacement for consumption of refined grain products or red or processed meats. (Harvard School of Public Health)