Best Nuts to Support Your Heart Health!

Best Nuts to Support Your Heart Health!

On average, the heart will beat approximately 2.5 billion times during a lifetime.⁴ Along with pumping roughly 2,000 gallons of blood throughout your body each day, the heart will also pump hormones, oxygen, and other essentials for executing bodily functions.⁴ At times, you may not consciously realize how much this organ does for your body on a daily basis. It’s also possible you may not always notice how your lifestyle & habits may impact how well it performs over the course of time. Let’s discuss the best nuts for heart health.

What Can A Daily Serving of Nuts Do For You?

There are a variety of actions & habits that you can take to support your own cardiovascular health on a daily or even hourly basis. You may be educated on the more obvious heart health impacting habits like smoking or exercise. But have you ever wondered about the more subtle measures you can take to support your heart?

A recent study published by Journal of the American College of Cardiology in late 2017 examined 210,000 participants over the course of a 32 year time span. This study examined how the participant’s eating habits had an impact on their heart health. The findings? Ultimately, those who ate nuts on a daily basis revealed a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease in comparison to non-nut eaters. They also revealed a lower risk of coronary artery disease in comparison to those who did not.² These findings were not able to find any particular type of nut that stood out in terms of heart health. However, different types of nuts harbor different levels of nutritional components.

What Makes Nuts A Healthy Choice?

The nutritional components between nuts tend to vary. However, most nuts contain unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, plant sterols, and L-Arginine.¹ Most nuts also contain fiber, which allow a person to feel fuller and make them less likely to over-eat.¹ Nuts are comprised of almost 80% fat, and despite that they are healthy fats, it is important to eat nuts in moderation. It is also beneficial to use them as a substitute for foods comprised of saturated fats, such as dairy.¹

Walnuts are One of the Best Nuts for Heart Health

A 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 21% lower risk of coronary artery disease were associated with eating just 1 serving of walnuts 5 times per week in the 2017 study published by Journal of the American College of Cardiology.² Walnuts contain vast amounts of Alpha-linoleic acid, which have been known to improve cholesterol levels by reducing plaque buildup in coronary arteries.³ Since Alpha-linoleic acid acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, walnuts support blood flow in the body’s vessels and small arteries.³

Peanuts are One of the Best Nuts for Heart Health

According to the 2017 study published by Journal of the American College of Cardiology, those who ate 1 serving of peanuts 4-5 times per week reduced their risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease by roughly 14-20%.² Other studies on peanuts have found that peanuts can support a healthy cholesterol level. This is especially true when used as alternative protein source.³

Heart Heath & You

Individual health needs vary from person to person, and of course, genetics always plays a factor in an individual’s health necessities. However, making one small decision each day to support your heart health can build overtime. Overall, this  has a great positive impact. The decision to go for a walk, not to smoke a cigarette, or to include nuts into your lunch are all ways to promote your health. Help your heart and get nuts for nuts!