Private MD News

Consuming nuts can help lower cholesterol

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Eating more nuts may improve cholesterol test results for individuals with elevated risk factors for heart disease, as recent research has shown that nuts are associated with healthier cholesterol levels.

The study compared a group of individuals with high cholesterol who consumed nuts on a daily basis to a group that ate no nuts. Researchers found that consuming nuts was associated with lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and higher good cholesterol.

Lead researcher, Joan Sabate, wrote in the study that nuts are rich in many unique nutrients, like dietary fiber, plant protein and antioxidants, which may have a combined cholesterol lowering effect.

"Recently, consumption of nuts has been the focus of intense research because of its potential to reduce coronary heart disease risk and to lower blood lipid [fat and cholesterol] levels based on their unique nutritional attributes," she wrote.

Previous studies have shown that nuts lower bad cholesterol, but this is the first study to show that they can benefit the other components of cholesterol.