Protect Your Heart: Nutritionist Reveals Top 5 Heart-Healthy Nuts

Nutritionist Huang Yiling shares the five nuts with the highest nutritional value, including Brazil nuts. Zigres/Shutterstock

Consuming nuts regularly can help prevent cardiovascular diseases and provide essential nutrients and phytochemicals. Wondering which nuts to choose? Nutritionist Huang Yiling shares the five nuts with the highest nutritional value and provides a guide for selecting, consuming, and storing the nuts.

A study published in Nutrients in 2023 revealed that incorporating nuts into your diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular (CDV) diseases. The study showed a 19 percent reduction in the incidence and a 25 percent reduction in the mortality rate of total cardiovascular diseases, a 24 percent reduction in the incidence and 27 percent reduction in the mortality rate of coronary heart disease, an 18 percent reduction in stroke mortality, a 15 percent reduction in atrial fibrillation risk, and a 19 percent reduction in total mortality risk.

8 Essential Nutrients for Cardiovascular Protection

Ms. Huang explained that nuts offer eight essential nutrients that promote CDV health:

1. Unsaturated fatty acids: Nuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which help control cholesterol and blood pressure.
2. Fiber: The fiber found in nuts promotes a healthy gut microbiome and aids in regulating blood lipids, blood sugar, blood pressure, and metabolism. Additionally, fiber reduces the absorption of excess fats in the intestines.
3. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is good for CDV health and beneficial for fertility.
4. Magnesium: Magnesium helps regulate the tension of vascular smooth muscles, stabilizing blood pressure.
5. Polyphenols: The slightly astringent taste when eating nut skins comes from the polyphenols within. These polyphenols have antioxidant properties. Polyphenols enhance blood vessel elasticity and reduce inflammation when the vascular endothelium is attacked by oxidizing free radicals.
6. Vitamin B: Folate and vitamin B6 aid in the metabolism of homocysteine. Excessive homocysteine can lead to endothelial cell attack, inflammation, vascular hardening, thrombus formation, and an increased risk of stroke.
7. Potassium: Nuts are rich in potassium. Research suggests potassium is essential for blood pressure control.
8. Plant sterols: Elevated cholesterol in the bloodstream can lead to atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and strokes. Plant sterols, similar in structure to cholesterol, compete for absorption in the intestines, reducing the chances of cholesterol absorption.

Nut Consumption Enhances Satiety, Prevents Hidden Hunger

A Spanish study discovered that combining the Mediterranean diet with nut consumption can reverse metabolic syndrome, including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar. The study involved 1,224 older participants divided into three groups: One group followed the Mediterranean diet plus one liter of extra virgin olive oil per week; the second group followed the Mediterranean diet plus 30 grams (1.05 ounces) of nuts daily; the third group was the control group on a low-fat diet. No groups had a calorie restriction.