Eat Nuts Rather than Potato Chips

Research studies have found a link between the consumption of nuts and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.  In an effort to explain this relationship, a number of research trials have examined the effects of nut consumption on blood lipids (blood fats) in men and women not on any lipid-lowering medications.  Quite frankly, because the studies were so small, I paid little attention to the results--until now. 

A significant impact from eating a small amount of nuts daily

A pooled analysis of 25 research trials published in the May 10^th issue of Archives of Internal Medicine has confirmed that eating nuts does significantly lower blood lipid levels. Eating just a small amount--an average of 67 grams (2.4 ounces)--of nuts daily, lowered total cholesterol by 5.9 percent and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 7.4 percent.  In addition, triglyceride levels (another fat in the blood) fell by 10.2 percent in people with initial levels of 150 mg/dL or higher. Concentrations of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were unchanged. 

Nut consumption had its greatest effects among people in the study with the highest baseline LDL cholesterol, the lowest body mass index (BMI), and in those on a typical Western diet, rather than a Mediterranean diet, for example. All the types of nuts had similar effects on lipids.

Nuts also may help lower risk of coronary heart disease

In 2003, the FDA okayed a qualified health claim that evidence suggests--but does not prove--that eating 1.5 ounces (43 grams) of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, and some pine nuts) per day as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol reduces coronary heart disease risk. (Peanuts are included even though they are member of the legume family.)

In research trials, the lipid-lowering effects were dose-dependent--greater with larger amounts of nut intake. At 43 grams per day, the amount included in the FDA-approved claim statement, the reductions in the trials were only 3.2 percent for total and 4.9 percent for LDL cholesterol.

How can this benefit you?

The findings in this analysis are limited in several ways; the pooled trials included only 583 men and women who followed the modified diets for periods of just 3 to 8 weeks.  Further, it would be necessary to eat almost twice the amount of nuts mentioned in the FDA statement in order to achieve really meaningful improvements in blood lipid levels.

Although the benefits of nut consumption on blood lipids do not approach those of medications like the statins (which can lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 50 percent), there are benefits.  Eating nuts have no side effects (people eating nuts in the trials did not gain weight) and costs less than drugs. 

Certainly it makes sense to choose unsalted nuts as a snack, rather than ingest the blood pressure-raising salt and the cholesterol-raising fats in potato chips.  But keep in mind, to avoid weight gain, nuts should be substituted for, not added to, other snacks.