Walnuts: Enemy of "Bad" Fats
That old, dusty nutcracker sitting in your attic might be working overtime soon. In a recent study by a team from Barcelonaís Hospital Clinico, walnuts have been shown to have more health benefits than olive oil.
The research suggests eating these shelled snacks at the end of a meal may help to cut the damage that fatty foods do to arteries.
The study participants were chosen for either having normal or moderately high cholesterol levels. All the members were given two high-fat salami and cheese meals a week apart. Five teaspoons of olive oil were added to one meal and eight shelled walnuts were added to the other.
Although the results of the tests performed after the meals showed that both the olive oil and the walnuts helped to reduce the inflammation and oxidation that leads to the hardening of arteries, the walnuts seemed to preserve the flexibility and elasticity of the arteries. To find out the benefits of a healthy diet ask your chiropractor, or visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition.
Resource:
Cortes B, Nunez I, Cofan M, et al. Acute effects of high-fat meals enriched with walnuts or olive oil on postprandial endothelial function. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2006, 48(8):1666-1671.
