Nuts and your health: cracking old myths
Nuts and Your Health
Nuts pack many nutrients in a small package.
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Nuts have no cholesterol. And they contain only tiny amounts of saturated fat. Instead, they have lots of mono- and polyunsaturated fats that resemble the fats in olives and other vegetables that may help protect the heart.
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Nuts may also help by providing vitamin E and other antioxidants.
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They are also rich in protein, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and other minerals.
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Nuts are an excellent source of fiber, which reduces the risk of heart disease.
What's in a Name? |
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Peanuts, the most popular nuts of all — are not technically nuts. Nuts are one-seeded fruits that grow on trees. Peanuts grow in the ground. They are legumes, members of the bean and pea family of plants. Peanuts do have a tough outer shell, like true nuts do. And they share the nutritional characteristics of nuts. |
How Nuts Help
Doctors don't know for sure, but they have several theories.
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Nuts help reduce blood cholesterol levels, either by replacing other, harmful foods or by lowering cholesterol on their own.
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Nuts are high in fat. But these are "good" fats, which may reduce the risk of abnormal heart pumping rhythms that can sometimes cause sudden cardiac death.
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According to a Spanish study, nuts improve endothelial function, allowing arteries to widen when tissues need more oxygen.
Before you go nuts, keep in mind that:
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Nuts are high in fat, which makes them high in calories. All fats, whether they are harmful saturated fats or healthful unsaturated fats, have 9 calories per gram. So unless you want to gain weight, don't add nuts to your diet without cutting a similar number of calories. Fortunately, the new Harvard study reported that people who ate nuts regularly actually gained less weight than people who didn't eat nuts.
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Many processed nuts that are so handy for snacks are fried in oil and/or laced with salt, which can raise your blood pressure.
Nuts can be part of a balanced, healthful diet. And they can help reduce your risk of heart disease.
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