Chock-full of health for your heart
I often recommend eating nuts for a variety of healthy minerals and vitamins. It's one of those food items that are easily overlooked, but they're so good for you, I think they deserve a closer look of their own.
One of the most important nutrients that nuts can provide (particularly walnuts) is heart-healthy fats, both monounsaturated and omega-3s. Some studies have suggested that frequent nut consumption can slash heart disease risk by as much as 30 to 50 percent.
I recently discovered one theory as to why. In one study, 24 healthy volunteers ate the same high-fat meal. Afterward, half of the group swallowed five teaspoons of olive oil, while the other half ate eight shelled walnuts. Both foods reduced the sudden inflammation and oxidation usually seen in arteries after a high-fat meal.
But the walnut group also demonstrated more elasticity and flexibility in their arteries than the olive oil group, even in participants with elevated cholesterol levels.
That's important, because arteries need to be able to expand to accommodate increased blood flow and to compensate for build up of cholesterol plaque. Remember the old diagnosis, "hardening of the arteries?" That's just another way of saying that the arteries had stiffened up and lost their elasticity.
A more recent study supports this, showing that eating walnuts can improve arterial elasticity by as much as 64 percent.
Walnuts are also known to be a terrific source of omega-3 fatty acid, which helps fight inflammation—the doorway to many a destructive disease process. They also contain manganese and copper, trace minerals essential to your health.
Nuts contain a good amount of fiber, making them the ideal snack. That fiber fills you up better than, say, a bag of potato chips. And you don't need a whole bag of them to feel satiated.
Which is where my one admonishment comes in concerning these handy foods: it's possible to have too much of a good thing. Refrain from eating nuts by the double-handful. While the fats they contain are of the healthful, good-for-you variety, they're still a calorie-rich food. One suggestion is to take your time and chew thoroughly. This applies to any food, not just nuts. Also, make sure you drink a glass of water with them. This will combine with the fiber to help fill you and better satisfy your appetite.
