Adding some crunch to your menu could save your ticker.
Scandinavian researchers found that eating a small amount of nuts and seeds every day can reduce the risk of a heart attack and strokes, according to a new study published in the Food Nutrition Research journal.
“If you eat a handful of nuts every day — that is around 30 grams — you will have a 20% to 25% lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease,” said study co-author Erik Kristoffer Arnesen, of the University of Oslo’s Department of Nutrition, in a statement.
“In comparison, adults in the Nordic countries only eat on average around four grams of nuts a day. Many do not eat nuts or seeds at all.”
Researchers said they don’t have a particular nut that’s certain to lower the risk — but noted that almonds, pistachios and walnuts appeared to be the best for lowering cholesterol.
Although the team of scientists behind the study said “the more the better,” eating just a few nuts is better than none — and can boost your heart health significantly.
“Nuts have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels in the blood, which is important to keep low in order to prevent the buildup of fat in the arteries,” Arnesen explained. “This atherosclerosis, as it is called, is one of the greatest risk factors for heart attacks.”
Over 1.8 million participants were involved in the review, with researchers looking at the relative risk to having heart disease or strokes in comparison to how many nuts they ate in a day.
Researchers found that nuts lowered blood lipids — or fat in the blood — don’t seem to affect blood pressure, and were unable to determine if they affect blood sugar.
It was also unclear if eating nuts reduced the risk of strokes and Type 2 diabetes, with the study authors saying more research is needed.
The co-authors suggested the composition of fatty acids in nuts is beneficial for aiding overall health.
“Even though nuts cannot be used to treat high cholesterol, we believe that the effect is significant enough to be used as a preventive measure amongst the general population,” Arnesen said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, unsalted nuts are a good source of protein and contain at least some of these heart-healthy substances, around four to six servings of unsalted nuts a week as part of a healthy diet for adults.
The findings align with research finding the popular Mediterranean diet — which was named the best overall diet for 2023 — is known to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, according to previous research.
The Mediterranean diet involves eating a lot of fresh greens, fruits, fish, nuts and olives.