Nuts are Recommended in Heart Healthy Eating Plans
By now, we've all heard that there's a growing body of evidence to suggest that peanuts and certain tree nuts – almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts and pecans – can provide heart health benefits when consumed in moderation as part of balanced diet. In fact, scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces a day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of heart disease. The research findings are compelling and leading heart health organizations have promoted eating nuts as part of their overall diet recommendations.
Two diets in particular – DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), developed by scientists supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and The Portfolio Diet, designed by scientists at the University of Toronto – include nuts in their plans for healthy eating. These diets were designed based on optimal dietary patterns to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering high blood pressure or blood cholesterol levels.
The DASH eating plan, rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium, protein, and fiber, includes whole grain products, fish and poultry, and also recommends eating four to five servings of nuts, seeds and legumes a week. In the DASH eating plan, a serving of nuts is equal to 1 ounce. Nuts, seeds, and legumes provide magnesium, potassium, and fiber. The DASH study found that elevated blood pressure can be reduced by eating a diet low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, and rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods.
The Portfolio Diet is a plant-based diet, low in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, and includes foods that contain cholesterol-lowering components (viscous fiber, soy and other vegetable proteins, plant sterols, and certain nuts). Specific foods used in the diet that are sources of cholesterol-lowering components included almonds, soy milk and soy burgers, oat bran cereal and oat bran bread, barley, lentils, beans, and plant sterol-enriched margarine. In this study, people on a 2,000-calorie diet ate one ounce of almonds each day as well as other foods believed to have cholesterol-lowering properties, substituting them for other foods with less favorable profiles with respect to cholesterol. Results showed that LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels were reduced by about 30%. This reduction was similar to what was seen with prescription cholesterol-lowering drugs, suggesting that Heart disease risk reductions may be the same as well. This study suggests that combining multiple cholesterol-lowering food components or foods, such as nuts, in the same dietary portfolio may increase the effectiveness of diet on reducing the risk of heart disease.
Eating nuts is a tasty way to meet dietary recommendations for a nutritious and healthy diet.
References:
1. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
2. Svetkey LP. Et al. The DASH diet, sodium intake and blood pressure trial (DASH-Sodium): rationale and design. DASH-Sodium Collaborative Research Group. J am Diet Assoc. 1999;8(suppl):S96-104.
3. Jenkins D et al. Effects of dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods vs. lovastatin on serum lipids and c-reactive protein. JAMA. 2003;290:502-510.