Walnoten voor goed cholesterol*
Uit een analyse van 13 studies door wetenschappers van de Harvard universiteit blijkt dat
walnoten goed zijn tegen hoog
cholesterol. Het verlaagt het totaal en het slechte cholesterol (LDL) duidelijk en lijkt de kans op hart- en vaatziekte duidelijk te verminderen. Ondanks de gezonde vetten in walnoten was er geen sprake van gewichtstoename bij consumptie van 10-24% van de totale energie-inname in de vorm van walnoten.
Eating Walnuts Cuts Cholesterol
Eating a diet high in walnuts may decrease cholesterol and fight inflammation, two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from Harvard University and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Consumption of nuts has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease events and death," the researchers wrote. "Walnuts in particular have a unique profile: they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular disease risk factors."
Walnuts are also considered good dietary sources of fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin E and other antioxidants.
Researchers analyzed the results of 13 different studies conducted on a total of 365 participants who had obtained between 10 and 24 percent of their calories from walnuts for four to 24 weeks. They found that participants on a high-walnut diet underwent significant decreases in total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
"When compared with control diets, diets supplemented with walnuts resulted in a significantly greater decrease in total cholesterol and in LDL-cholesterol concentrations," the researchers
wrote.
The researchers also found other indicators that even though a high-walnut diet is high in fat, it seems to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease rather than raising it.
"Other results reported in the trials indicated that walnuts provided significant benefits for certain antioxidant capacity and inflammatory markers and had no adverse effects on body weight," the researchers
wrote.
The researchers called for "larger and longer-term trials" to further understand the heart benefits of nut-rich diets.
Prior studies have linked diets high in nuts and berries to a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms related to cardiovascular disease. Other nuts previously linked to improved cardiovascular health include macadamia nuts and
almonds.
Diets high in walnuts may also reduce the risk of breast cancer, studies show. (Februari 2010)
Red.: Een hele walnoot is ca. 20 calorieën (1% van een normaal 2.000 calorieën dieet)