7 Components in Nuts That Explain Their Heart Health Benefits

December 26, 2021

by Cathe Friedrich

Nuts are a heart-healthy snack, especially when you compare them to chips. Snacking on nuts is one of the best choices for your heart too. A study of 39,000 women found that women who ate a serving of nuts, equivalent to a generous handful of these salty orbs, at least twice a week, enjoyed a 27% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. You don’t get those benefits from eating chips! All nuts have cardiovascular benefits, based on research, including peanuts, although peanuts are a legume.

Unlike chips, nuts are easy on your blood sugar due to their low carbohydrate and high fiber content. But have you ever wondered what components in nuts explain their cardiovascular benefits? Nuts of all types are rich in bioactive compounds with heart health benefits. People often underestimate the nutrient density of nuts. They’re a powerhouse of nutritional benefits. Let’s look at the key components in nuts that help keep your ticker ticking.

Unsaturated Fats

Not all fats are bad. You need a certain amount of dietary fat to make key hormones and help absorb fat-soluble nutrients. Nuts are rich in heart-healthy kinds of fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the type linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Nuts don’t contain saturated fats, the kind you find in meat and dairy.

Studies show that consuming unsaturated fats has favorable effects on blood lipids, explaining some of the cardiovascular benefits that these fats offer. Research shows substituting monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats is a smart move for the health of your heart.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Speaking of fat, some nuts are rich in a certain type of polyunsaturated fat called omega-3 fatty acids. The nut highest in omega-3s is the walnut. Omega-3s reduce inflammation, including inflammation within the walls of your arteries. Scientists now know that inflammation plays a key role in cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke.

Some studies also show omega-3s lower the risk of irregular heart rhythms. The type of omega-3 in walnuts is the short-chain variety, rather than long-chain omega-3s in fatty fish and fish oil. However, both have anti-inflammatory benefits. Your body can convert less than 10% of the short-chain omega-3s you take in through diet to the long-chain form.

Fiber

Nutritional guidelines recommend women get at least 25 grams of fiber daily, while men need at least 38 grams daily. Most people consume only half that amount. What does fiber have to do with heart health? Studies link a diet higher in fiber with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Fiber helps lower LDL cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol, especially if the LDL particles are smaller, is associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. A handful of nuts daily is an excellent way to boost your fiber intake. If you’re eating nuts for fiber, choose almonds! A cup of almonds has an impressive 16 grams of fiber and a healthy dose of vitamin E too.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin. One way it may improve heart health is by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Vitamin E also helps prevent blood clots from forming, which could lead to a stroke or heart attack. Although taking vitamin E supplements does not appear to reduce cardiovascular risk, getting enough dietary vitamin E may reduce oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, a process that contributes to cardiovascular disease. Some of the best sources of vitamin E in the nut family include almonds, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts.

Plant sterols

Plant sterols, or phytosterols, are molecules naturally found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. Two of the most common types of plant sterols are beta-sitosterol and campesterol. Studies show these compounds decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by up to 15%, yet there are concerns that sterols could have downsides too. Some research suggests that may increase plaque build-up in the inner walls of arteries. Whether plant sterols are a positive or negative with respect to heart health remains unclear.

L-arginine

Nuts also contain arginine, a compound your body converts to nitric oxide. The benefit of nitric oxide is it expands the walls of your arteries, leading to a drop in blood pressure. This also improves blood flow and lowers the risk of blood clots forming. Arginine from sources like nuts may also be beneficial for people with blockages in the arteries in their legs, called peripheral vascular disease. Nuts high in arginine include peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, and cashews.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral your body needs for various purposes, including bone health, muscle and nervous system function, and heart health. Magnesium has many benefits, including reducing blood pressure, lowering heart disease risk, and reigning in stress. One way to add more magnesium to your diet is to switch from chips to nuts. Brazil nuts have the highest magnesium content of the tree nuts, but cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds are excellent sources too.

The Bottom Line

Now you have seven reasons why nuts are such a heart-healthy snack! Eat a variety of nuts for the most health benefits.

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