Walnuts may help reduce risk of heart disease

A diet that includes walnuts may reduce the risk of heart disease because it may lower non-HDL cholesterol¹ and apolipoprotein B² (ApoB), which are both predictors of cardiovascular disease risk. This is according to new findings by researchers at University of Munich Medical Center in Germany. They said that the effects of daily walnut consumption (43 grams/1.5 ounce) on blood lipid levels that predict cardiovascular disease risk, and found non-HDL cholesterol and ApoB levels were significantly reduced on the walnut enriched diet by over 6% and 5% respectively. The new study is published in Metabolism.

Healthy men and women participated in the study. They consumed walnuts as part of their normal diet, for an eight-week period.  While eating walnuts, participants reduced intake of saturated fat and increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids, resulting in beneficial changes in their lipid profile.  Walnuts are comprised predominately of polyunsaturated fat and are one of the few foods that offer an excellent source of the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid – 2.5 grams/ounce.³

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women and is responsible for 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States. Coronary heart disease alone costs the United States $108.9 billion each year.⁴ A healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet play an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. "These diseases usually develop as a result of a number of different risk factors among which lipid factors such as non-HDL cholesterol⁵ and apolipoprotein B⁶ (ApoB) are the most important.  Our study has shown that people can benefit from supplementing their diet with walnuts, which helps reduce these risk parameters," says lead investigator Dr Klaus Parhofer, University of Munich Medical Centre.

Past research in countries throughout the world, including the United States, Spain, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, suggests walnut consumption can be a powerful tool in improving heart health markers.  Studies in a variety of populations have reported walnuts to decrease LDL-cholesterol and blood pressure, two other major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In addition, walnuts have been shown to improve endothelial function, decrease both oxidative stress and markers of inflammation, and increase cholesterol efflux. The effect of walnuts on multiple CVD targets over relatiAir Max 90 YEEZY 2 SP