Want of simple way to live longer? Eating nuts maybe the answer. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine followed 119,000 men and women for 30 years. The researchers found that those who ate walnuts, peanuts, almonds and/or other nuts seven or more times a week were 20% less likely to die from any cause during the study than those you didn’t. WOW!
Overall, nut eaters tend to be slimmer and have better cholesterol levels, less atrial inflammation and better blood sugar levels than those who don’t eat nuts.
Below are the health benefits of each specific nuts that you should aim to consume at least 1 ounce of nuts a day, choosing a variety of all kinds.
Almonds
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who takes medication to reduce cholesterol, you definitely need to add this nut to the mix. One three month study tested 27 men and women with high cholesterol and people who ate about a handful of almonds a day lowered their “bad” LDL cholesterol by an average of 4.4%. Those who ate two handfuls lowered it by 9.4%. Nice.
Brazil Nuts
These are higher in selenium then just about any other food. Selenium is an antioxidant that reduces cholesterol and decreases the risk for blood clots and heart attacks.
Important for men: the body needs selenium to produce testosterone, the hormone that helps maintain a men’s bone density, muscle strength and sex drive.
Brazil nuts are higher in fat than many other nuts, but they aren’t the fat bombs most people imagine. When you eat Brazil nuts, filberts or other hard nuts, the cell walls aren’t completely broken down during digestion. You will absorb less fat than you would with softer nuts, such as macadamias. (See below)
Cashews
Despite their velvety texture, cashews are one of the lowest fat nuts at 13 g of fat per ounce – with the majority of fats, including phytosterols and tocopherols, being good for the heart. Cashews also are good for your weight.
When you eat a handful of cashews, the body releases cholecystokinin, hormone that increases feelings of fullness. As long as you eat the nuts slowly enough to allow the hormone to kick in, you will find that you say “enough” before you’ve overdone it.
Macadamia Nuts
These are quite delicious but high in fat. But more than 82% of the fat in macadamias is monounsaturated. Olive oil, another good fact that has been linked to cardiovascular health, is between 55% and 83% monounsaturated.
Macadamia nuts are also a good source of fiber, with 2.3 g per ounce. A Journal of Nutrition study found that people who got most of their fiber from macadamia nuts had a greater reduction in LDL and total cholesterol than those ate similar diets without the nuts.
Peanuts
Peanuts technically are legumes, but they act like nuts. They reduce the risk of dying from cancer, heart disease and other conditions. Peanuts are rich in resveratrol, a potent antioxidant that reduces inflammation. A large, multi-decade Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that people who regularly ate peanut butter, peanuts or other nuts were less likely to develop diabetes.
Pecans
It may be carrots that have a reputation for improving eye health, but you also might want to take a 20/20 look at the pecans. Reason: cataracts, a macular degeneration and other serious eye diseases are caused in part by free radicals.
The antioxidants in nuts and other plant foods help prevent free radicals from damaging eye tissues. One study found that antioxidants including the vitamin E in pecans and other nuts help slow the progression of macular degeneration by about 25%. When USDA researchers measured the antioxidant capacity of more than 100 foods, they found that pecans were at the top of the nut pack.
Pistachio Nuts
This is another nut that men should love. And one study, men with erectile dysfunction were given 100 g daily for three weeks. (just over 3 ounces). They showed a noticeable increase in their ability to perform and improvements in blood flow. They also had an increase in HDL, which prevents cholesterol from clogging arteries in the penis. Pistachios are particularly high and arginine, an amino acid used by the body to produce nitric oxide, a gas that causes blood vessels to dilate. It is important not just for sexual health but for overall cardiovascular health and working out as well!
Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based form of the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish. A one ounce serving of walnuts has 2.5 g of ALA, compared with about .5 g in pecans and none in other nuts. The ALA in walnuts appears to rival the health benefits of the longer-chain omega 3′s in fish. One study published in Diabetes Care found that people who eat walnuts had an increase in beneficial HDL cholesterol and a drop in harmful LDL. The fatty acids and walnuts may slow the progression of arterial plaques that produce clots, the cost of most heart attacks.
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