Although heart diseases are often associated with men, they are the one of the most common causes of death in women over 40, especially in women in menopause. Therefore we mustn’t ignore our doctor’s advice on how to to reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Eating raw nuts as part of your healthy daily diet is good for your heart. Nuts aren’t food that’s too expensive, they are easy for storage, ideal for snacks, you can take them with you at work or at school very easily and they contain unsaturated fatty acids that are good for your heart.
Nuts and your heart health
Most scientific researches involving people who consume nuts as part of their daily diet, show that nuts may reduce the levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), i.e the ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood. The increased presence of LDL is the main reason for the occurrence of heart diseases. Therefore, nuts with their ability to reduce the ‘bad’ cholesterol, can improve the heart health.
Consumption of nuts reduces the risk of blood clots, which can cause fatal heart attacks.
However, keep in mind that nuts aren’t a medicine, they just can help you fight the ‘bad’ cholesterol. Also because every person is different, eating nuts in some people will be more effective, and in some there the effect can be none.
Health benefits of nuts
The amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that nuts contain really depends what kind of nuts you’re consuming, but they all contain at least some of these nutrients:
Unsaturated fats. Experts believe that the ‘good’ fats that nuts contain, can reduce the ‘bad’ cholesterol.
Omega-3 fatty acids. Many types of nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. Most of these fatty acids are also found in some types of fish and seeds. It’s well known that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are great for the heart.
L-arginine. Nuts contain a lot of L-arginine. It is a substance that helps in improving the condition of the arteries and it’s also said that it improves their flexibility and makes them less prone to blood clots.
Fiber. All types of nuts contain fiber, which helps your digestive system to work properly and help reduce the blood cholesterol. Fibers also make you feel full and thus you’ll feel less hungry. Some studies also say that fibers can help in the prevention of diabetes.
Vitamin E. Researchers still aren’t sure, but believe that vitamin E can prevent the development of blood clots in the arteries. This can reduce the risk of heart attack or coronary artery disease.
How much nuts you should eat?
Nuts contain fat and nearly 80% of them is fats. Although most of these fats are healthy, you shouldn’t consume too much of them, because they are high in calories. So stick to the rule, that eating nuts is good but in moderation.
Experts say that you should eat a small amount of nuts every day. Eating a handful of nuts (around 1 ounce) per day is more than enough. This amount will roughly contain from 120 to 200 calories depending on what type of nut you’re eating. However, just eating nuts every day isn’t enough to have a healthy heart. Eating nuts like almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts is great, but that won’t help you to have a healthy heart if you don’t exercise regularly and if you don’t reduce consumption of sugary and fatty foods that contain saturated fats.
