People at high cardiovascular risk who eat nuts regularly are less likely to die than non-consumers.
Nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios or almonds would be beneficial for health when we are high cardiovascular riskaccording to the results of a Spanish clinical trial published in the BMC Medicine. For this trial, 7,216 people at high cardiovascular risk (3,071 men and 4,145 women with an average age of 67 years old) were distributed in three groups. The first followed a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil, the second one Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts (in this study, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews were all considered nuts) and the third a “control” diet for comparison. After a followed by approximately 5 years, the researchers found that, compared to non-consumers, subjects who consumed at least 3 servings (or handfuls) of nuts per week (which represents in total 84g) had a risk of mortality from all causes reduced by 39%notably by cardiovascular diseases or cancers. A protective effect on premature mortality was also observed in the group of people who followed a nut-enriched diet.
Positive effects on cholesterol
More than 20 years ago, the first studies have been published on possible favorable effects of nut consumption on health. Since then, these effects have been studied in depth, recall the Spanish authors. in a note accompanying their results. A study published in 2010 in Nutrients magazine for example confirmed that the consumption of nuts was able to improve blood lipid levels (cholesterol, triglycerides) and could influence inflammatory processesoxidative stress, vascular reactivity and blood sugar control… So many mechanisms that would contribute to a reduction in the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and thus overall mortality. However, questions regarding the quantity, duration and type of nuts to consume still remain to be clarified, say the Spanish researchers. As a reminder, cardiovascular diseases are the second cause of death after cancer, with over 140,000 deaths each year, but they are there leading cause of death among women all ages combined and among the very elderly, reports the Ministry of Health.