Following Wines and Peanuts, Almonds are Found to be Healthy for Your Heart

There are studies supporting the heart benefits of consuming both red and white wines and also peanuts. And now, it seems almonds too, are heart-healthy. Researchers found that eating whole almonds, as part of a low-saturated fat diet, can significantly lower heart disease risk - even with total

The researchers also found that the fat content of almonds does not necessarily result in weight gain. At the end of four weeks, there was no significant change in body weight among participants placed on an almond-based diet.

Three groups of men and women with high blood cholesterol levels were placed on a basic heart-healthy, low-saturated fat diet comprised of whole foods. One group consumed additional fat in the form of almonds (about 100 grams), which are rich in monounsaturated fat. Another consumed olive oil (48 grams), also a rich monounsaturated fat source. The third group consumed butter (28 grams) and cheddar cheese (85 grams), both rich sources of saturated fat. All three groups took in substantially more fat than the recommended 30 percent of calories (almond group - 39 percent, olive oil group - 35 percent, butter and cheese group - 35 percent).

After four weeks, the almond-based diet significantly lowered total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) levels while preserving high-density lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol) levels. In contrast, cholesterol levels decreased only slightly in the olive oil group, and increased significantly in the butter and cheese group.

There are a number of reasons offered in the paper as to why the almond-rich diet might be so successful at lowering blood cholesterol levels. First, almonds, are a good source of monounsaturated fat (10 grams per ounce) and contain very little saturated fat (1 gram per ounce). Moreover, as a plant-based food, almonds contain absolutely no cholesterol.

Second, almonds contain substantial amounts of dietary fiber (3 grams per ounce). Scientists now know that dietary fiber can have cholesterol-lowering, effects. While the total amount of dietary fiber was similar among all three study groups, the type of dietary fiber was not. The researchers suggest the unique dietary fibers present in almonds may have played a decisive role in reducing cholesterol levels. A third explanation is the action of compounds found in almonds known as phytochemicals, such as plant sterols and saponins, which have been found to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Lastly, the arginine-rich proteins found in almonds have been documented to have beneficial effects on blood lipids when compared to animal proteins.