There’s been a nasty rumor for years that nuts are bad for you. (You can blame the ongoing low-fat diet catastrophe for this one.)
Thankfully, at least my patients and readers know that nuts are the opposite of a forbidden food — they’re a diet staple. And today, I’m happy to present you with yet another study that shows us why.
A recent Swedish research analysis shows that eating three or more servings of nuts per week lowers your risk of arterial fibrillation (AF) — the technical term for an irregular heartbeat — and possibly heart failure, too.
Not too shabby for a snack that’s also delicious.
Compared to people who never ate nuts, the researchers found that those who ate them one to three times a month lowered risk of AF by 3 percent. But eating them more often boosted those benefits significantly. In fact, eating nuts twice a week reduced AF risk by 12 percent.
Three servings of nuts per week resulted in an 18 percent reduction in AF risk. And every additional serving shaved four more percentage points off overall AF risk.
The story was similar for heart failure. Subjects benefited from a 12 percent lower risk with one to three monthly servings — and a 20 percent lower risk with one to two weekly servings.
The benefits don’t stop there though. This study also suggests the more nuts you eat, the less likely you are to face other cardiovascular events like a heart attack or abdominal aortic aneurism. (This occurs when a section of the aorta — the largest blood vessel in your body — weakens and swells within your abdomen).
Other studies have also shown that including nuts in your diet helps fight inflammation, improves cholesterol, boosts endothelial function, and wards off weight gain.
And it’s really no wonder. Nuts are packed with healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals, folate and vitamin E. Not to mention an array of other beneficial compounds — like antioxidants, phenols, and phytosterols.
So really, lowering your risk of AF and heart failure are just a few more benefits — albeit, two pretty big ones — to add to an already impressive list.
And that’s why nuts of all kinds play such a huge part in my A-List Diet — whether you prefer almonds, walnuts, or macadamias. Just one tip: skip the peanuts — they don’t serve up the heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids found in other nuts.
In addition to nuts, my A-List Diet book is full of dietary recommendations to support your heart and overall health. And it’s now available in paperback — perfect for some pool-side reading! To learn more about how you can get a copy, click here.
I’ve also been hard at work developing a comprehensive protocol that will help you prevent and reverse heart disease using the science-backed, drug-free strategies I use with my patients. If you or a loved one is dealing with heart disease, this protocol will be your all-natural, step-by-step guide to a healthier heart. I’ll be launching it toward the end of summer, so stay tuned here for more details.
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