GO NUTS ABOUT NUTS
Let us begin with one of the most common snack foods around the globe: Nuts. We all know that there are many kinds of nuts, and each of them contains their own proportion of nutrients compared to other nuts. In other words, not all nuts are created equal, but on their own, they are generally all good for heart health.
Research has shown that nuts help lower low-density lipoprotein or LDL (aka Bad Cholesterol) and triglyceride levels. Both LDL and triglycerides contribute to the buildup of plaque in your blood vessels, plaque which forms obstructions that prevent good and efficient blood flow. Nuts also help prevent the formation of blood clots, which can also obstruct good blood flow.
Nuts have unsaturated fats, the good fats. Research studies have shown that unsaturated fats, of which there are two kinds: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are the key contributors to the reduction of the low-density lipoprotein in the body. It is not yet clear how the unsaturated fats do this, but the data indicates a strong correlation.
Plant sterols, another contributor to the reduction of LDL, are found in nuts. Plant sterols are sometimes added to food and drink products, particularly to add to their health benefits. However, in nuts, plant sterols occur naturally, and thus need not be added.
Omega-3 fatty acids are popularly known to be naturally occurring in many fish. However, there are also some nuts that have rich amounts of this nutrient. Walnuts, for example, are known to have the richest Omega-3 fatty acid content among nuts.
Nuts are rich in dietary fiber, the benefits of which have been discussed in the previous page. Vitamin E and L-arginine are also rich in most nuts, both of which promote good heart health by preventing the buildup of plaque, preventing the forming of blood clots in the blood vessels, and by keeping the walls of the blood vessels flexible.
Of course, be careful not to undo the heart-healthy benefits of nuts by coating them with sugary chocolate, or too much salt. As discussed earlier, too much blood glucose and sodium in the bloodstream is bad for your heart health. Nuts are best eaten raw or boiled (because some of them are too hard to eat when raw).
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