Health Benefits of Nuts

Traditionally there has been a lot of contradictory opinion over whether eating nuts should be encouraged, mainly due to high fat levels. Today however, the nature of the (monounsaturated) fat found in nuts is better understood, and many health authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend nuts as part of a healthy diet. Targeted nut-research suggests that nuts may have an even more profound impact on health, including lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease, aiding weight loss, and potentially protecting from cancers such as colon and prostate - however it is important to note that research into the effect of nuts on cancer are in the very early stages, with more research needed. Learn more about other Super Foods

Nuts Help to Prevent Coronary Heart Disease

Studies suggest that adding nuts to your diet may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease [1]. Analysis of the U.S Nurses Health Study [2] estimates that 1 ounce of nuts per day instead of the equivalent carbohydrate may lead to a 30% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. The data was taken from a study of 86,000 people, in which the "nut-eater" group consumed one ounce of nuts five times per week. Another observational study of over 30,000 Californians showed that people who ate nuts more than four times a week had lower coronary heart disease, were less obese, and were generally healthier than those who didn't [3].

Cholesterol is factor that largely contributes to conronary heart disease.
An Australian study looked closely at the cholesterol-lowering affects of two nuts already known to have major health benefits; almonds and walnuts. Both nuts lowered total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and did not significantly effect HDL (good) cholesterol levels. The subjects first ate a control diet for 3 weeks, then the control diet supplemented with almonds each day (3 weeks), then supplemented with walnuts (3 weeks). The almond diet showed a 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol, and the walnut diet showed a 9% LDL cholesterol reduction [4]. In a similar but broader study, subjects were given a diet that included whole grains, raisins, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and almond and sesame butters. The diet showed a total cholesterol reduction of 8%, and LDL cholesterol reduction of 15% [5].

Nuts as part of Weight Loss Program

Ongoing research suggests that nuts may have an appetite suppressing effect and that there may be very real benefit to eating nuts for weight loss [1, 6]. The research suggests that the saitiating effect (appetite suppressing) is due to high levels of fiber, protein and energy, and that the release of fatty acids during digestion of nuts is incomplete. A report to the WHO discusses the impact of nuts on weight management, suggesting that benefits of nuts may come from their satiating effect - that subjects who ate nuts tended to reduce their intake of other foods (e.g reducing meat portions or not being tempted to snack between meals). The report also hypothesises that nuts may have other metabolic effects where fat from nuts are more readily burned off, rather than stored in the body.


Article References

[1] Ternus, M, E., Lapsley, K., Geiger, C, J. (2009). Health benefits of tree nuts. In F. Shahidi & C. Alasalvar (Eds.), Tree nuts: Composition, phytochemicals, and health effects. CRC Press.

[2] 129. Lopez-Garcia, E., Schulze, M.B., Fung, T.T., Meigs, J.B., Rifai, N., Manson, J.E., and Hu, F.B. (2007). Major dietary patterns are related to plasma concentrations of markers of infl ammation and endothelial dysfunction. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(4), 1029–1035.

[3] Fraser, G.E., Sabate, J., Beeson, W.L., and Strahan, T.M., A possible protective effect of nut consumption on risk of coronary heart disease. The adventist Health Study, Arch. Intern. Med., 152, 1416-1424, 1992.

[4] Abbey, M., Noakes, M., Belling, G.B., and Nestel, P.J., Partial replacement of saturated fatty acids with almonds or walnuts lowers total plasma cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 59, 995–999, 1994.

[5] Bruce, B., Spiller, G.A., and Farquhar, J.W., Effects of a plant-based diet rich in whole grains, sun-dried raisins and nuts on serum lipoproteins, Veg. Nutr., 1, 58–63, 1997.

[6] International Tree Nut Council. (2002). Official response to draft report of joint World Health Organization (WHO) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expert consultation on diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases [report]. retreived from http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/media/en/gsfao_cmo_060.pdf.

[7] Herbert, J, R., Hurley, T, G., Olendzki, B, C., Teas, J., Ma, Y., & Hampl, J, S. (1998). Nutritional and socioeconomic factors in relation to prostate cancer mortality: A cross-national study. JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 90(21), 1637-1647.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jacob Jarden looks at the health benefits of various super foods. He discusses research being undertaken at various institutions and universities around the world. Read his latest article on Health Benefits of Green Tea.



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