Walnuts and blood lipids: A large study... - British Heart Fou...

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Walnuts and blood lipids

jimmyq profile image
13 Replies

A large study in 2018 from Harvard University combined the results of 26 different studies examining the effects of walnut consumption on blood lipid levels and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. What they found was that those eating one portion of walnuts a day (28g) had lower total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels than those eating less than this amount. Walnut consumption did not affect body weight or blood pressure.

The results were also not affected by funding sources (walnut company vs no walnut company funding)

Why would this be? Walnuts contain plant sterols which prevent cholesterol being absorbed. The high omega-3 fats increase the clearance of LDL-cholesterol from the blood. They also contain polyphenols and tocopherols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

So it may be that walnuts are one of the best nuts to include in the diet.

health.harvard.edu/choleste...

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jimmyq
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13 Replies
Deanosbeano profile image
Deanosbeano

I get a bag of walnuts ,cashews and pecans once a month from Lidl , don't eat too many or your back end will be very very sore .

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq in reply to Deanosbeano

I eat a big handful of mixed nuts every day, and I have big hands, and they have no effect at the back end, as far as I am aware.

Deanosbeano profile image
Deanosbeano in reply to jimmyq

Too much of a good thing can bite ya in the arse , I know this from experience :)

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq in reply to Deanosbeano

Hmmm! I will cut them out for a day and see what happens.

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq

I eat a handful of mixed nuts every day. My next post will show why.

NathanBlau profile image
NathanBlau

Just replied to your Brazil nut video ..... now what do I do?? 4 Brazil nuts a month and 28g of walnuts per day? Holland and Barrett here I come.

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq in reply to NathanBlau

They are cheaper in supermarkets.

Alison_L profile image
Alison_L

My HF nurse told me walnuts were best for lowering the bad cholesterol. Just not so good for a calorie controlled diet!

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq in reply to Alison_L

Take something bad out of your diet, e.g. dairy products.

tunybgur profile image
tunybgur

Chocolate coated Brazils.....can't resist them....yes I know about the chocolate, but you can't live forever ;-)

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq in reply to tunybgur

Yep! You have to die of something. In my family it is either the drink or the heart attack that gets us. I'm going for the drink, it's much more fun.

willsie01 profile image
willsie01

So what is a portion of walnuts?

A handful? 100g? What?

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq

I measured my handful last night: 75 grams. Less than 2 ozs. in the old money. It says 28g in my original post.

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