Many foods have been identified as having potentially benefits to cardiovascular health. Of particular interest to nutritionists are the metabolic changes induced by nut consumption. Epidemiological studies suggest that frequent nut consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Consumption of nuts 1 to 4 times a week may reduce the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease by 25%, and consumption of nuts more than 5 times a weeks might reduce the risk by as much as 50%. These benefits are though to be due in part to the significant blood lipid altering effect bought about by nut consumption. This may be due to the high concentrations of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in nuts. However, evidence suggests that the lipid lowering effects are greater than would be expected by consumption of the fatty acids alone and may therefore be due to other components such as vitamins and minerals.
Mukuddem-Petersen et al (2005) have reviewed the literature regarding human intervention studies investigating the lipid lowering effects of nuts in papers published since 2004. Statistical analysis of 3 studies involving almonds (50 to 100 grams /day), 2 peanut (35 to 68 grams / day), 1 pecan (72 grams / day) and 4 walnut (40 to 84 grams / day) showed decreases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol of between 2 and 16% and 2 and 19%, respectively. These results support the growing epidemiological evidence that consumption of 50 to 100 grams of nuts per day up to 5 times a week may be beneficial to cardiovascular disease by cutting mortality risk by around 50%. Evidence suggests that different nuts have different effects on human metabolism and so mixtures of tree nuts and peanuts are likely to offer the best overall protection.
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