MizKitty
Tue, Nov-21-06, 11:39
Copied from walnuts.org:
There are few foods that are as nutritiously complete and good for the human body as walnuts. For more than a dozen years, research by highly-respected scientific and clinical experts has continued to reveal that this “Super Food” is packed with nutrients that positively affect the body on a multitude of levels.
Walnuts are unique as one of the most nutrient-dense whole food sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Numerous studies have concluded that omega-3s help reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and clinical depression.
Walnuts & Diabetes
The news couldn’t be sweeter! Eating walnuts may reduce risk of developing diabetes, and may help people who already have type 2 diabetes improve their cholesterol levels.
Eating Nuts Reduces Risk of Diabetes
In 2002 a group of researchers at Harvard discovered a link between nut consumption and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Women who ate 1-ounce portions of nuts five times or more each week had a 27% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to the women who rarely or never ate nuts.
Eating Walnuts Improves Cholesterol Levels in People with Type 2 Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes are twice as likely to die of heart disease compared to people without diabetes. One reason for this may be the fact that people with diabetes tend to have higher LDL “bad” cholesterol levels and LDL particles that stick to arteries and damage arterial walls more easily.
Researchers in Australia wondered if walnuts could reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. In 2004 they reported that eating an ounce of walnuts each day, as part of a healthful diet, reduced LDL “bad” cholesterol by 10%. These researchers are continuing to examine ways walnuts may protect the heart health of people with type 2 diabetes.
Why are walnuts so beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes?
There are three types of fat in the foods we eat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Replacing sources of saturated fat with mono- and polyunsaturated fat can help improve cholesterol levels, and improving cholesterol levels can reduce risk of heart disease.
Most nuts are rich in monounsaturated fat, but the majority of fat in walnuts is polyunsaturated. Experts believe polyunsaturated fats from foods like walnuts have additional benefits including improving insulin sensitivity and increasing energy expenditure. Since insulin sensitivity (or insulin resistance) and weight management are common concerns for people with diabetes, these potential benefits from walnuts are noteworthy. They require further investigation, and researchers are currently exploring these effects.
How do walnuts promote healthy cholesterol levels?
When eaten as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, walnuts can reduce total and LDL “bad” cholesterol while preserving levels of HDL “good” cholesterol. Walnuts also increase LDL particle size, which is beneficial. Large fluffy LDL particles are less likely to clog arteries than small dense LDL particles.
How do walnuts affect arteries?
Walnuts exert a number of positive effects on arteries, including decreasing inflammation and reducing levels of substances that promote clogged arteries.
All blood vessels in the human body are lined with endothelial cells. Endothelial cells play a crucial role in the development of heart disease, specifically hardening of the arteries. This process starts when endothelial cells are “injured” either by an abrasion or inflammation or a toxic “insult” from substances such as cigarette smoke. Once injured, the cells begin to accumulate cholesterol and white blood cells, forming a plaque in the artery. The plaque formations make the arteries stiff, hence the term “hardening” of the arteries. The plaques get larger over time, and can eventually block blood flow through the artery, which in coronary arteries can lead to a heart attack. This same process can cause blockages in arteries leading to the brain thereby causing a stroke.
Studies have shown that adding walnuts to a healthful diet can decrease CRP levels. CRP is a measure of inflammation. Inflammation damages arteries. Once an artery is damaged, scar tissue can build up and increase risk of a blocked artery.
Adding walnuts to the diet also reduces levels of VCAM-1, a substance that encourages white blood cells to stick to damaged artery walls.
An animal study conducted at the University of California at Davis has shown that walnuts can also decrease levels of endothelin, a substance that promotes arterial inflammation and plaque development.
Walnuts. Super Source of Omega-3s.
When Dr. Steven Pratt introduced the concept of Super Foods in his 2004 best-selling book, “SuperFoods Rx”, he explained the concept like this: “Some foods are better than others for your health.”
Walnuts were identified as one of 14 “SuperFoods” because of their high omega-3 content, a distinction that makes walnuts unique among tree nuts and peanuts. Walnuts are the only nut that contain a significant amount of omega-3s. No other nut even comes close!
Walnuts’ High Antioxidant Activity
Walnuts are also known for their high antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help offset the effects of oxidation, a process that is constantly occurring in the body. The human body is equipped to deal with a certain level of oxidation. Naturally occurring antioxidant enzymes work to protect our cells and our DNA from oxidative damage. Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s natural defenses can’t keep up with oxidative damage. Daily events like breathing, eating, being exposed to cigarette smoke or pollution, and over-exposure to sunlight can all create oxidative stress. Some researchers believe that oxidative stress may contribute to cancer risk. One way to possible combat oxidative stress is to eat more antioxidant-rich foods, like walnuts.
A 2002 study conducted in Norway showed that walnuts rank second only to rose hips in their antioxidant content. The researchers examined a wide variety of plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and seeds. Sunflower seeds were shown to have 25% of the activity of walnuts while other nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts) exhibited less than 4% of the activity.
Walnuts contain a number of substances that may contribute to their overall antioxidant activity, including melatonin, ellagic acid, gamma-tocopherol, carotenoids, and polyphenolic compounds.
Walnuts Are A Smart Choice for Dieters
In 2001 researchers at Harvard published a study showing that dieters who include nuts in their daily diet lose more weight and keep it off longer compared to dieters who avoid nuts.
Many people find this hard to believe thinking that high fat foods like walnuts can’t be beneficial if you’re trying to lose weight. It turns out the healthy fat, fiber and protein in walnuts aid in satiety, an important factor in successful dieting. No one wants to be hungry all the time; adding walnuts to a reduced calorie diet keeps hunger at bay.
Does Regular Walnut Consumption Lead to Weight Gain?
Even if they’re not interested in losing weight, many people wonder if adding nuts to their diet will lead to weight gain. A recently published study, conducted at Loma Linda University in Southern California, addressed this issue and found that regular walnut consumption does not lead to weight gain.
Study participants were asked to add an ounce of walnuts to their daily diet but given no further dietary instruction. After six months walnut eaters had not gained weight. According to the lead researcher, Dr. Joan Sabaté, “If people substitute walnuts for other calories, then eating walnuts will not lead to weight gain, and may lead to improvements in other indicators of health, such as a decrease in LDL cholesterol.”
The Bottom Line
So whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, consider adding a handful of walnuts to your daily routine. You’ll feel more satisfied, and you’ll be protecting your heart health, too!
There are few foods that are as nutritiously complete and good for the human body as walnuts. For more than a dozen years, research by highly-respected scientific and clinical experts has continued to reveal that this “Super Food” is packed with nutrients that positively affect the body on a multitude of levels.
Walnuts are unique as one of the most nutrient-dense whole food sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Numerous studies have concluded that omega-3s help reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and clinical depression.
Walnuts & Diabetes
The news couldn’t be sweeter! Eating walnuts may reduce risk of developing diabetes, and may help people who already have type 2 diabetes improve their cholesterol levels.
Eating Nuts Reduces Risk of Diabetes
In 2002 a group of researchers at Harvard discovered a link between nut consumption and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Women who ate 1-ounce portions of nuts five times or more each week had a 27% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to the women who rarely or never ate nuts.
Eating Walnuts Improves Cholesterol Levels in People with Type 2 Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes are twice as likely to die of heart disease compared to people without diabetes. One reason for this may be the fact that people with diabetes tend to have higher LDL “bad” cholesterol levels and LDL particles that stick to arteries and damage arterial walls more easily.
Researchers in Australia wondered if walnuts could reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. In 2004 they reported that eating an ounce of walnuts each day, as part of a healthful diet, reduced LDL “bad” cholesterol by 10%. These researchers are continuing to examine ways walnuts may protect the heart health of people with type 2 diabetes.
Why are walnuts so beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes?
There are three types of fat in the foods we eat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Replacing sources of saturated fat with mono- and polyunsaturated fat can help improve cholesterol levels, and improving cholesterol levels can reduce risk of heart disease.
Most nuts are rich in monounsaturated fat, but the majority of fat in walnuts is polyunsaturated. Experts believe polyunsaturated fats from foods like walnuts have additional benefits including improving insulin sensitivity and increasing energy expenditure. Since insulin sensitivity (or insulin resistance) and weight management are common concerns for people with diabetes, these potential benefits from walnuts are noteworthy. They require further investigation, and researchers are currently exploring these effects.
How do walnuts promote healthy cholesterol levels?
When eaten as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, walnuts can reduce total and LDL “bad” cholesterol while preserving levels of HDL “good” cholesterol. Walnuts also increase LDL particle size, which is beneficial. Large fluffy LDL particles are less likely to clog arteries than small dense LDL particles.
How do walnuts affect arteries?
Walnuts exert a number of positive effects on arteries, including decreasing inflammation and reducing levels of substances that promote clogged arteries.
All blood vessels in the human body are lined with endothelial cells. Endothelial cells play a crucial role in the development of heart disease, specifically hardening of the arteries. This process starts when endothelial cells are “injured” either by an abrasion or inflammation or a toxic “insult” from substances such as cigarette smoke. Once injured, the cells begin to accumulate cholesterol and white blood cells, forming a plaque in the artery. The plaque formations make the arteries stiff, hence the term “hardening” of the arteries. The plaques get larger over time, and can eventually block blood flow through the artery, which in coronary arteries can lead to a heart attack. This same process can cause blockages in arteries leading to the brain thereby causing a stroke.
Studies have shown that adding walnuts to a healthful diet can decrease CRP levels. CRP is a measure of inflammation. Inflammation damages arteries. Once an artery is damaged, scar tissue can build up and increase risk of a blocked artery.
Adding walnuts to the diet also reduces levels of VCAM-1, a substance that encourages white blood cells to stick to damaged artery walls.
An animal study conducted at the University of California at Davis has shown that walnuts can also decrease levels of endothelin, a substance that promotes arterial inflammation and plaque development.
Walnuts. Super Source of Omega-3s.
When Dr. Steven Pratt introduced the concept of Super Foods in his 2004 best-selling book, “SuperFoods Rx”, he explained the concept like this: “Some foods are better than others for your health.”
Walnuts were identified as one of 14 “SuperFoods” because of their high omega-3 content, a distinction that makes walnuts unique among tree nuts and peanuts. Walnuts are the only nut that contain a significant amount of omega-3s. No other nut even comes close!
Walnuts’ High Antioxidant Activity
Walnuts are also known for their high antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help offset the effects of oxidation, a process that is constantly occurring in the body. The human body is equipped to deal with a certain level of oxidation. Naturally occurring antioxidant enzymes work to protect our cells and our DNA from oxidative damage. Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s natural defenses can’t keep up with oxidative damage. Daily events like breathing, eating, being exposed to cigarette smoke or pollution, and over-exposure to sunlight can all create oxidative stress. Some researchers believe that oxidative stress may contribute to cancer risk. One way to possible combat oxidative stress is to eat more antioxidant-rich foods, like walnuts.
A 2002 study conducted in Norway showed that walnuts rank second only to rose hips in their antioxidant content. The researchers examined a wide variety of plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and seeds. Sunflower seeds were shown to have 25% of the activity of walnuts while other nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts) exhibited less than 4% of the activity.
Walnuts contain a number of substances that may contribute to their overall antioxidant activity, including melatonin, ellagic acid, gamma-tocopherol, carotenoids, and polyphenolic compounds.
Walnuts Are A Smart Choice for Dieters
In 2001 researchers at Harvard published a study showing that dieters who include nuts in their daily diet lose more weight and keep it off longer compared to dieters who avoid nuts.
Many people find this hard to believe thinking that high fat foods like walnuts can’t be beneficial if you’re trying to lose weight. It turns out the healthy fat, fiber and protein in walnuts aid in satiety, an important factor in successful dieting. No one wants to be hungry all the time; adding walnuts to a reduced calorie diet keeps hunger at bay.
Does Regular Walnut Consumption Lead to Weight Gain?
Even if they’re not interested in losing weight, many people wonder if adding nuts to their diet will lead to weight gain. A recently published study, conducted at Loma Linda University in Southern California, addressed this issue and found that regular walnut consumption does not lead to weight gain.
Study participants were asked to add an ounce of walnuts to their daily diet but given no further dietary instruction. After six months walnut eaters had not gained weight. According to the lead researcher, Dr. Joan Sabaté, “If people substitute walnuts for other calories, then eating walnuts will not lead to weight gain, and may lead to improvements in other indicators of health, such as a decrease in LDL cholesterol.”
The Bottom Line
So whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, consider adding a handful of walnuts to your daily routine. You’ll feel more satisfied, and you’ll be protecting your heart health, too!