AFTER a 2-year study, participants who consumed about half a cup of walnuts each day had lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol compared with their levels at the beginning of the study.
These individuals also experienced a reduction in total cholesterol. The research was supported by a grant from the California Walnut Commission.
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A growing body of scientific research suggests that walnuts, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids, may protect against heart disease.
Over the years, a number of studies have investigated whether consuming walnuts might reduce cardiovascular risk factors.
For instance, a 2019 meta-analysisTrusted Source links higher walnut consumption with a lower cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality, including lower coronary heart disease incidence and mortality and lower atrial fibrillation.
A new study, which appears as a research letter in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, investigates whether the addition of walnuts to the daily diet for 2 years influences cholesterol levels, specifically. Moreover, this study focuses on older adults.
The authors found that including walnuts in the diet decreased the total cholesterol and modestly lowered levels of LDL cholesterol, which people often refer to as “bad” cholesterol.
Additionally, the scientists measured the participants’ subclasses of LDL cholesterol. One of these subclasses — small dense LDL particles — are more often associated with atherosclerosis, which occurs when fatty deposits build up in the arteries.
In their study, they found that daily consumption of walnuts reduced both the number of total LDL particles and small LDL particles.
Dr. Emilio Ros, senior author of the current study and director of the Lipid Clinic at the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona in Spain, spoke with Medical News Today.
He explained how he and his colleagues have studied the health benefits of walnuts for many years.
