Eating Nuts Twice a Week Helps Lower Death Risk From Heart Disease
A study indicates that nuts ‘have protein, minerals, vitamins, fiber, phytosterols and polyphenols” which are all beneficial to heart health.
We all know nuts as our "go-to" snack. Aside from the fact that they are delicious, a lot of people eat nuts and include them in their regular diet as they offer lots of health benefits.
The research just presented during the European Society of Cardiology's yearly conference unveiled yet another reason why we should choose to eat nuts for our afternoon snacks instead of the tempting bag of chips or a bar of chocolate.
Essentially, the said study indicates, consuming a portion of nuts at least two times each week is associated with a 17-percent lesser risk of death due to "heart attack, stroke, as well as other conditions related to heart disease."
In a statement, Iran-based Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute's Dr. Noushin Mohammadifard said, nuts are a great source of unsaturated fats. Not only that, but they also contain a small amount of saturated fat.
Mohammadifard added nuts "have protein, minerals, vitamins, fiber, phytosterols and polyphenols, too," which are all beneficial to heart health.
Polyphenols are a classification of compounds found naturally in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, among others.
Phytosterols, also known as plant sterols, on the other hand, are "a family of molecules" associated with cholesterol. They are found in the plants' cell membranes where they play vital roles like the cholesterol in human beings.
ALSO READ: 4 Best Beverages You Can Drink If You Have Diabetes
Nuts Linked to Cardiovascular Protection
European and American studies, Mohammadifard also said, have linked nuts to cardiovascular protection, although there is "inadequate evidence from Eastern Mediterranean Region."
The said research concentrated particularly on how often one should consume nuts and succeeding risk of cardiovascular disease or CVD, or death in a sample from the Iranian population, throughout the 12-year course.
A total of 5,432 adult individuals whose age is 35 years or above participated in the said research. All of these, over 5,000 respondents were randomly chosen from different Iranian areas and did not have any history of CVD.
As a result, the average consumption of different nuts, including walnuts, almonds, seeds, and pistachios, among others, every participant, was initially recorded in 2001 through the use of a questionnaire.
According to reports, each respondent then was followed up on "and asked about any cardiovascular issues every two years until 2013."
DON'T MISS THIS: Why Stress Makes One Overeat or Not Eat at All, and How to Overcome It
Eating Nuts Twice a Week
Over the 12-year follow-up period, the team of researchers gathered data on more than 750 cardiovascular occurrences like CVD or stroke, over 170 cardiovascular-related mortalities, and more than 450 all-cause deaths.
Following analysis of their findings, the research team found that eating nuts twice or even more times each week was linked to a 17-percent lesser death risk due to a heart condition than those who consumed nuts only once every two weeks.
Even after the adjustment of factors that could have impacted the results like age, smoking habits, and physical activities, the study showed "the connection between nut consumption and improved heart health" remained strong.
In terms of the recommended daily consumption nuts, the research team proposed "30 grams of unsalted nuts each day" to be included in a healthy diet."
Mohammadifard emphasized, "Raw fresh nuts are the healthiest." He also said nuts should be fresh as unsaturated fats can turn out to be "oxidized in stale nuts, making them hazardous."
IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS: 6 Reasons Why You're Gaining Weight Unintentionally
Check out more news and information on Diet Trends on MD News Daily.
Sep 15, 2020 09:00 AM EDT
