Are Dry Fruits and Nuts Beneficial For Heart Health? Let's Find Out

Blogs12 Sep 2024

Easily available, and hassle-free to store and pack, nuts make for a great on-the-go snack that are often found in trail mixes, healthy recipes and desserts. But did you know that the crunchy and light nuts you snack on could be healthy for your heart? Most nuts are packed with healthy fats and other important nutrients that are tied to several health benefits.

In this article, we’ll take you through the dry fruits and nuts for the heart, their nutritional profile, how they affect the heart and how much you should consume them to get the best out of them! So let’s get started.

What Makes Nuts So Nutritionally Rich?

Nuts that are good for heart contain a host of important components that help us in various ways. Other than being a source of protein, they mainly contain these important nutrients that support heart health:

• Fibre: Nuts have fibre in them, which may help reduce cholesterol levels and aid in weight management too.
• Plant sterols: A few nuts naturally contain substances known as plant sterols which have cholesterol-lowering properties.
• Omega 3 fatty acids: These are known as healthy fats and offer several health benefits including being good for the heart. They may lower the risk of heart conditions and strokes.
• L-arginine: An important amino acid that is associated with building protein, L-arginine is found in nuts and research has found its positive effects on blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Can having nuts help your heart?

Nuts offer a variety of heart health benefits. Various studies have found that having dry fruits and nuts may help

• Reduce cardiovascular conditions and risk factors including dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• Lower the risk of high blood pressure
• Regulate cholesterol levels and lower LDL or bad cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of blood clots forming which can in turn prevent strokes and heart attacks
• Decrease inflammation
• Boost overall artery health

Dry Fruits for The Heart: Types of Nuts You Should Try to Have

You can have a variety of nuts as they are all typically healthy. Some dry fruits good for the heart are almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, raisins, hazelnuts and peanuts. Remember to prioritise those with Omega-3 fatty acids and other important substances over other nuts! You must also remember that heart-healthy nuts contain other fats so have them in moderation and you will keep your heart young and fit for longer.

1.Almonds:

Science has found that almonds may help in reducing bad cholesterol levels in the body and maintaining good cholesterol levels. Since these are risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, regulating them could help keep your heart healthy.

2. Cashews:

Cashews may improve triglyceride levels and blood pressure levels which can help support heart function. However, more studies are needed to determine its full effects on the heart.

3. Walnuts:

Research has found that walnuts can decrease low density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood pressure, which can help prevent heart issues. They also help reduce oxidative stress, inflammation and more!

4.Hazelnuts:

Though nuts are high in fats and energy, consuming hazelnuts does not significantly affect body weight and other biomarkers related to cardiovascular health. In fact, many studies done on hazelnuts found some evidence that pointed at hazelnuts having heart healthy effects. They may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation as well.

5.Pistachios:

Pistachios too can have a positive effect on the heart when consumed with an overall heart-healthy diet. They can impact cholesterol levels, blood pressure levels, plasma activity and more and reduce the risk of CVD.

6. Peanuts:

Many studies have found that peanuts can have a positive effect on cardiometabolic biomarkers. They are an excellent source of nutrients like protein, fibre, folate, niacin, magnesium, selenium, arginine, manganese etc, some of which can play an important role in supporting heart health and preventing the risk of heart conditions.

As a rule, try to avoid sweetened or salty nuts. You should also try to avoid sugar and sodium in nuts, and try to have them naturally.

What's a healthy serving of nuts?

According to the NIN, ICMR, a healthy serving of nuts and seeds per day is 35g. You can add them to your snack bowls, use them as a topper to your oatmeal, add them to sweets, baked dishes and more.

Conclusion

Nuts are nutritious snack options for all and they can positively affect your heart health too. Several studies big and small over the past few decades have found links between nuts and the reduced risk of cardiovascular conditions. Heart-healthy nuts are bursting with healthy fats, fibre, plant sterols, and more substances that improve heart health and regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Almonds, walnuts, cashews and peanuts are examples of nuts good for the heart that you should include every day to boost your heart health in your midlife.

Want to know more about heart health, midlife, nutrition and other similar topics? Then explore Right Shift. We write new and informative articles on health regularly and encourage middle-aged adults to take their health seriously. You can try our free health score calculator to assess your current condition and use our free meal plans that are made to suit your preferences and achieve your health goals. If you want to take a step towards healthy ageing, start now and make the right shift with us!