Eating Nuts To Lower Your Cholesterol

Almonds And Walnuts – Ways To Lower Your LDL Cholesterol – Continued

Many studies have shown that certain nuts, especially almonds and walnuts help lower total cholesterol level, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and increase HDL cholesterol levels. Many components appear to be at work here and you should have a good understanding of how these components work and work together, so you can approach using nuts in your diet in the most effective way to lower your cholesterol.

These nuts contain polyunsaturated fats, which studies show are better than most saturated fats in controlling cholesterol levels. They also contain plant sterols, fibers, and other nutrients that act synergistically to deliver fat to the body in a controlled way.

Studies show that saturated fats are most often transformed into low density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol, and too much LDL cholesterol in the body often forms plaque on artery walls that lead to heart disease. Studies show that unsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol levels. It appears that not as much polyunsaturated fats are transformed into LDL cholesterol as saturated fats are transformed into LDL cholesterol.

The thing here is that fats are still fats and eating large amounts of foods that are high in fat will contribute more fat to be turned into LDL cholesterol, and will also increase your calorie intake which can increase your chances of obesity.

An increase in polyunsaturated fat containing foods like almonds and walnuts should replace saturated fat containing foods like meats and processed foods, and should not be eaten in addition to these foods because you will be increasing your overall fat intake.

Plant life, almonds and walnuts, contain a balance of nutrients that react in the body in a synergistic way. Nuts contain complex carbohydrates which take longer to digest than simple carbohydrates (refined sugars) and don’t spike the blod sugar level as quickly as simple carbohydrates. Nuts also contain soluble fiber which helps to remove cholesterol from the body before it enters the bloodstream.

Almonds and walnuts contain antioxidants that help prevent cholesterol from being moved out of the blood and into the lining of the arteries. Almonds and walnuts also contain plant sterols, which get in the way of cholesterol being absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in less cholesterol entering the bloodstream and clogging arteries.

Tags: immune system, inflammation, lower cholesterol, nutrition, redu