Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet can be good for your heart. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients. Plus, it’s a great snack. It’s cheap, easy to store, and easy to pack when you need to go out.
One of the drawbacks of nuts is their high calorie content. Therefore, it is important to limit the amount of nuts. However, choosing nuts instead of health-healthy snacks can help you get a good heart-healing diet.
How can hazelnuts help the heart?
Studies show that people at risk of a heart attack can reduce their risk by eating a healthy diet that contains nuts.
Studies show that eating nuts allows you to:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These play an important role in the formation of deposits called arterial plaques.
Improves the health of the inner wall of the artery
Lowers the level of inflammation associated with heart disease
Reduces the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attack and death
As a result, nuts can improve heart health and reduce the risk of premature death from heart disease and other causes.
What makes the nuts heart healthy?
In addition to being rich in protein, most nuts contain at least some of these heart-healthy ingredients:
The reason for unsaturated fats is not entirely clear, but the “good” fats in nuts (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are thought to lower bad cholesterol levels.
Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are known to be found in fish, but many nuts are also high in omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are healthy fatty acids that have been shown to help the heart in particular by preventing arrhythmias that can cause a heart attack.
Fiber. All nuts contain fiber that helps lower cholesterol. Fiber also makes you feel full, so you eat less. In addition, fiber is thought to play a role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps stop the growth of arterial plaques that can narrow the arteries. Accumulation of plaque in the arteries can cause chest pain, coronary heart disease, or a heart attack.
Plant sterols. Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that helps lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are often added to products such as margarine and orange juice and have health benefits of nuts, but sterols are naturally found in nuts.
L-Arginine. Walnuts are also a source of L-arginine. L-arginine may help improve the condition by making the arterial wall more flexible and less likely to cause blood clots that can block blood flow.
What is a healthy serving of nuts?
80% of hazelnuts are oily. Most of these fats are healthy fats, but they still have a lot of calories. Therefore, it is necessary to consume nuts in moderation. Ideally, substitute a handful of nuts or a tablespoon or two of nut butter instead of the saturated fat found in meat, eggs, and dairy products.
The American Heart Association recommends eating about 4 servings of unsalted nuts a week. Choose raw or dry roasted nuts instead of oil-cooked nuts. Serving is a small handful (1.5 ounces [43 g]) of whole nuts or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
Do this as part of a healthy diet for the heart. Eating only nuts and not reducing the saturated fat found in many dairy and meat products is not good for your heart.
Is the type of nuts you eat important?
What kind of nuts you eat probably doesn’t really matter. Most nuts generally look healthy, but they may contain more healthy nutrients in the heart than other nuts. For example, nuts are high in omega 3 fatty acids.
Almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts and pecan nuts are also very healthy for the heart. And peanuts (technically not nuts, but legumes like beans) look relatively healthy.
Remember that you can eliminate the heart health benefits of nuts of chocolate, sugar, or salt-coated hazelnuts.
Below is nutritional information about commonly used types of nuts. Measurement of all calories and ingredient content
