The First Health Blog Service

Going Nuts

February 28th, 2006

Eating peanuts on a regular basis has long been known to help prevent cardiovascular disease–but a new study reveals that this may not be entirely due to the high fatty acid content of the nuts.

A small US study found that peanuts lower triglycerides–an emerging risk factor for heart disease–and improve total diet quality by increasing a number of nutrients associated with the prevention of cardiovascular disease. These heart-healthy nutrients include magnesium, folate, vitamin E, copper, arginine and fiber.

Peanut consumption also led to favorable changes in the fat profile of participant’s diets: Subjects showed a decrease in saturated fat and an increase in unsaturated fat as a portion of calories.

The research examined the effects of 500 calories of peanuts per day. The Purdue University findings–which were published in the April 2003 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition–are consistent with several previous clinical and epidemiological studies, such as the Nurses Health Study, which found that people who consume about 1 ounce of peanuts, nuts and peanut butter per day improve blood lipid levels and decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease.

COPYRIGHT 2003 PRIMEDIA Intertec, a PRIMEDIA Company. All Rights Reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

Entry Filed under: Food