Eating walnuts and walnut oils slashes heart disease risk by improving multiple biometrics

Eating walnuts and walnut oils slashes heart disease risk by improving multiple biometrics


(NaturalNews) The impact of eating nuts has been evident for the past
decade as repeated scientific studies confirm that the omega-3 fats in
this tasty nut promote cardiovascular health as they improve cholesterol
biomarkers. Walnuts provide healthy doses of essential minerals, fiber
and vitamins to help promote heart health and also supply the long chain
fatty acids DHA and EPA, though the body must convert them to a more
bioavailable form through a multi-step process.

A research team from Penn State, Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania
now provide evidence to support past studies and expand our current
understanding about the importance of this tree nut to improve vascular
function. Publishing in the Journal of Nutrition, scientists have
found that consumption of whole walnuts or their extracted oil can
reduce cardiovascular risk through a mechanism other than simply
lowering cholesterol. Walnuts are part of a host of natural foods known
to lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, improving
endothelial function and improving blood lipids.

One of the study authors, Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton commented "We
already know that eating walnuts in a heart-healthy diet can lower
blood cholesterol levels... but, until now, we did not know what
component of the walnut was providing this benefit. Now we understand
additional ways in which whole walnuts and their oil components can
improve heart health." The team found that the essential oils in walnuts
and walnut oils help to preserve blood vessel wall elasticity and can
provide health-promoting effects within thirty minutes after
consumption.

Walnuts and walnut oils improve endothelial function and cholesterol metabolism to reduce heart disease risk

Penn State
researchers studied 15 participants diagnosed with elevated blood
cholesterol levels and provided them with one of four drug-free
treatments: Eating 85 grams of plain, whole walnuts, six grams of walnut
skins, 34 grams of walnut meat with the fat removed, or 51 grams of
essential walnut oil.
Biochemical and psychological responses were recorded before nut
consumption and again at one-, two-, four- and six-hour intervals to
determine how walnuts affect critical cardiovascular biomarkers.

The
team determined that each group exhibited a 'positive' response to
consuming each of the different parts of the nut and its oils. Eating
walnuts most significantly influenced the production of HDL cholesterol,
a biomarker closely associated with removal of excess oxidized levels
of cholesterol from the blood.

The study authors concluded "The
science around HDL functionality is very new, so to see improvements in
this outcome with the consumption of whole walnuts is promising and
worth investigating further... walnut oil was particularly good at
preserving the function of endothelial cells, which play an important
role in cardiovascular health." Eating a handful of walnuts every day will provide a measurable degree of cardiovascular disease risk reduction.

source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/040426_walnuts_walnut_oil_cardiovascular_health.html