The Food and Drug Administration approved a health statement that says that eating 1.5 ounces a day of certain nuts can reduce the risk of heart disease, provided you also follow a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios qualify for this health claim.
How many nuts make up a heart-healthy 1.5 ounces? Answer: 12-16 walnut halves or 30-36 almonds.
Nuts contain the "good fat" your body needs. Approximately 85% of the fat in nuts is beneficial, unsaturated fat.
Walnuts are loaded with alpha-linolenic acid (an essential omega-3 fatty acid that does the body good). Omega-3s have been found to help in the following ways:
Lower Overall Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
Reduce the Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease & Fatal Heart Attacks
Fight Arthritis & Other Inflammatory Diseases
Improve Brain & Vision Development
Relieve Depression
Natural Blood Thinner
Plain Walnuts Contain No Trans. Fats, No Cholesterol, No Sodium
Independent analyses show that almonds are the most nutritionally dense nut, whether compared calorie per calorie or ounce per ounce. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage Americans to choose nutritionally dense foods in order to get the most nutrition possible out of the calories you eat. Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, and fiber. They also offer heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron.
Recent reports indicate that walnuts are one of the best sources of antioxidants, powerful agents in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
