It is generally accepted that eating nuts keep heart healthy. Generally, nuts contain fats, though unsaturated (Good Fat), high in energy; consuming a lot, may not be a good idea. Let’s have an idea about the amount of nuts to be consumed safely.
Can eating nuts help heart?
A number of researches suggest that nuts are heart friendly. However, the evidences are still inconclusive. But, unless someone is allergic to nuts, it is a great idea to have nuts in snacks and include as part of heart-healthy balanced diet.Nuts may help by mobilizing the low-density lipoproteins (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol to liver for metabolism. LDL plays a major role in the development of plaque that builds up on the blood vessels. Eating nuts has also been linked to lower levels of inflammation linked to heart disease.
Eating nuts may also reduce risk of developing blood clots in the arteries of heart by improving the inner lining (endothelium) of the coronary (heart arteries) arteries.
What's in nuts that might make them heart healthy?
Besides being packed with protein, most nuts contain at least some of these heart-healthy substances:-
Unsaturated fats. It's not entirely clear why, but it's thought that the "good" fats in nuts — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower bad cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acids is one of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in many kinds of fishes, but many nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
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Fiber. All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower cholesterol. Fiber, as not digested in full, makes tummy feel full and decreases appetite; hence, intake of food gets reduced. Dietary fibers also have many health benefits.
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Vitamin E. Vitamin E may help stop the development of plaques in arteries, which can narrow them. Plaque development in arteries can lead coronary artery disease, leading to a heart attack.
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Plant sterols. Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that can help lower cholesterol.
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L-arginine. Nuts are also a source of
l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of
arterial walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood
clots that can block blood flow.
What amount of nuts is considered healthy?
As much as 80 percent of a nut is fat. Even though most of this fats are healthy, are packed with a lot of calories (One gram of fat yields 9 Calories, whereas, one gram of glucose/protein yields 4 calories) . That's why, one should eat nuts in moderation. Ideally, you should use nuts as a substitute for saturated fats, such as those found in meats, eggs and dairy products.The American Heart Association recommends eating about four servings of unsalted nuts a week. Select raw or dry-roasted nuts, rather than those cooked in oil.
A serving is a small handful (1.5 ounces; one ounce is 28. 4 grams) of whole nuts or 2 tablespoons of nut butter. But again, do this as part of a heart-healthy diet. Just eating nuts and not cutting back on saturated fats found in many dairy and meat products won't do your heart any good.
Does it matter what kind of nuts you eat?
The type of nuts you choose to eat probably doesn't matter much. Most nuts appear to be generally healthy, though some may have more heart-healthy nutrients than others. For example, walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans are other nuts that appear to be quite heart healthy. And peanuts — which are technically not a nut, but a legume, like beans — seem to be relatively healthy.
Keep in mind, you could end up canceling out the heart-healthy benefits of nuts if they're covered with chocolate, sugar or salt.
Here's some nutrition information on common types of nuts. All calorie and fat content measurements are for 1 ounce, or 28.4 grams (g), of unsalted nuts.
|
Type of nut |
Calories |
Total fat |
|---|---|---|
|
Almonds, dry-roasted |
170 |
14.9 g |
|
Almonds, raw |
164 |
14.2 g |
|
Brazil nuts, raw |
187 |
19 g |
|
Cashews, dry-roasted |
163 |
13.1 g |
|
Chestnuts, roasted |
69 |
0.6 g |
|
Hazelnuts (filberts), dry-roasted |
183 |
17.7 g |
|
Hazelnuts (filberts), raw |
178 |
17.2 g |
|
Macadamia nuts, dry-roasted |
204 |
21.6 g |
|
Macadamia nuts, raw |
204 |
21.5 g |
|
Peanuts, dry-roasted |
166 |
14.1 g |
|
Pecans, dry-roasted |
201 |
21.1 g |
|
Pistachios, dry-roasted |
162 |
13 g |
|
Walnuts, halved |
185 |
18.5 g |
How about nut oils? Are they healthy, too?
Nut oils are also a good source of healthy nutrients, but they lack the fiber found in whole nuts. Walnut oil is the highest in omega-3s.Consider using nut oils in homemade salad dressing or in cooking. When cooking with nut oils, remember that they respond differently to heat than do vegetable oils.
Nut oil, if overheated, can become bitter. Just like with nuts, use nut oil in moderation, as the oils are high in fat and calories.
The original article was published in MyoClinic, which can be accessed here.
