Private MD News

People who eat nuts tend to have lower cholesterol, study finds

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Eating more tree nuts could play an important role in the diets of individuals who have received unhealthy cholesterol test results. New research has linked consumption of nuts to lower cholesterol and generally improved heart health.

For the study, researchers from Louisiana State University analyzed survey data collected from more than 24,000 individuals. The results showed that those who ate the most tree nuts had 21 percent lower LDL cholesterol than those who rarely or never ate nuts. These individuals also had lower blood sugar levels and less risk of developing heart disease.

The researchers said the findings are interesting because people who ate more nuts tended to have higher energy consumption. This is usually a cardiovascular risk factor, as extra energy that does not get burned through physical activity is typically stored by the body as fat. Obesity is a major cardiovascular risk factor.

They concluded that some property of nuts must help regulate the body's energy expenditure, helping it to more efficiently eliminate excess fat. This could play an important role in helping individuals with unhealthy cholesterol test scores get their numbers back to normal.