The nights bring various benefits to our body. Many wonder if among these effects there is also the lowering of the cholesterol. Well we can confirm that it is the truth. However, both the reasons and the quantities of walnuts to be taken to benefit from these properties must be specified. According to some scientific studies, in fact, consuming about 40-80 grams of walnuts per day, within a healthy and balanced diet, causes a drop in LDL cholesterol (the bad one), while leaving HDL cholesterol levels (the good one) unchanged.
The benefits of nuts
The beneficial action of nuts on cholesterol is obtained thanks to the presence in them of a high content of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are present in large quantities only in some specific foods: in fish, linseed oil, hemp and canola, and, of course, walnuts. These polyunsaturated fatty acids can lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, leaving those of HDL cholesterol unchanged or slightly elevated. Inside the walnuts is also present arginine, a powerful amino acid that makes them flexible arteries it also prevents clots from forming in the blood. Within them we also find relevant doses of Vitamin E, which acts as antioxidant, and therefore fights i free radicals which attack the cells of our body causing premature aging of the skin. In addition, Vitamin E, together with arginine and omega-3, prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Finally, walnuts are also rich in fiber and phytosterols, which are used to reduce the intestinal absorption of lipids from food. As for the nutritional aspect, 100 grams of dried walnuts contain: Energy 612 KCal; Carbohydrates 12.05 g; Protein 24.9 g; Total fat 56.98; Saturated fat 1,306 g; Monounsaturated fats, tot. 10,425 g; Polyunsaturated fats, tot. 42,741 g (of which omega-six 33,727 g, omega-three 8,718 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Vitamin E 3.85 mg.
How many nuts can you eat in a day?
Despite the different benefits that walnuts bring to our body, we must still keep in mind that they contain many caloricheso you shouldn’t be eating exorbitant amounts of it. Doctors recommend eating between 3 and 4 a day, this limit allows to significantly lower the cholesterol. The ideal would be to eat walnuts as a snack between meals and never in addition to other foods, at most they can be accompanied by a low-fat white yogurt, a salad or a fruit salad.
Cholesterol and nuts: some precautions
So, ascertained that you can lower cholesterol with nuts, it should be noted that precautions should also be taken within the diet. Walnuts are considered high in calories and increase their consumption for lower cholesterol and promoting cardiovascular health could, however, increase our body weight. All this of course is counterproductive because obesity is one of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it would be advisable to eat walnuts instead of high-calorie hunger-breaking foods such as crisps or croissants. It is essential to pay close attention to the calorie intake of the diet, avoiding excesses for the sake of heart health and beyond.
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