We all have a habit of snacking during the day, either it is due to hunger or out of the urge to eat something crunchy. If you observe what you munch on, you will find that most of the times it is chips, cookies, popcorn or some other unhealthy snack. How good would it be if this snacking could be made healthier and beneficial? Snacking on nuts could serve as an immediate rescue for this. Eating nuts is of great benefit for your heart’s health. They are easy to store, pack, carry, eat and are easy on our pocket too. Be it walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or any other nuts, almost every type of nut has plenty of nutrition packed in it.
How Does Eating Nuts Help Your Heart?
Eating nuts can help in lowering the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol levels in your blood. Elevated levels of LDLs are one of the major causes of heart related diseases. Nuts help in reducing the risk of developing blood clots leading to a fatal heart attack. Additionally, nuts also help in improving the health of your arteries.
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Nutrients Of Nuts That Are Healthy For Your Heart
1 . Unsaturated Fats
The unsaturated fats, like MUFA (monounsaturated) and PUFA (polyunsaturated) fats, found in abundance in nuts help in lowering bad cholesterol.
2 . Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Most nuts are rich in essential fatty acids. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids lower the risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats) that can cause sudden death. In addition, they also decrease the triglyceride levels, slows the growth rate of cholesterol plaque in blood vessels and lowers the blood pressure (slightly). Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, but nuts are the best vegetarian source of this essential nutrient.
3 . Fibre
Nuts are packed with necessary dietary fibre that assists in lowering your cholesterol levels. It makes you feel full and you eat lesser food, and consume fewer calories. Fibre also helps in preventing diabetes, which is another chronic disease affecting your heart health.
4 . Vitamin E
Nuts, especially almonds, contain huge amounts of Vitamin E which help in curbing the formation of plaques in the arteries. These plaques narrow the arteries and hamper the blood flow to heart muscles, leading to chest pain (angina), coronary artery diseases or even heart attack.
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5 . Plant Sterols
Few nuts contain plant sterols that help in lowering your cholesterol levels. It is even considered as an adjunct therapy in those patients whose cholesterol levels cannot be lowered by using conventional medicines.
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6 . L-Arginine
Nuts are a good source of l-arginine, an amino acid that helps in improving the health of your arteries by increasing their flexibility and improving the blood flow. This helps in lowering the blood pressure.
Clearly, the benefits of nuts for your heart are tremendous. Although nuts are rich in good fats, they are also rich in calories. Hence, these should be eaten only in moderate quantities. Substitute unhealthy mid-meal snacks like vada pav, samosa, with handful of nuts. According to the American Heart Association, eating four servings of unsalted nuts a week is healthy for your heart.
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