Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Extension
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1571
Healthy Heart Beats
January-March 2008
Vol 30, Issue 1
Did You Know?....
Q: I know nuts have a lot of fat in them, but I read they are recommended for good heart health. I thought too much fat was bad for my heart. I am confused. Can you please help me?
A: It is true that too much fat can be detrimental to your heart, but what is also important to note is what type of fat you are consuming. There are different types of fats that affect cholesterol levels, and a high level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack and also increases the risk of stroke. The major types of fats that are consumed in the diet include monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats and trans fats raise blood cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), polyunsaturated fats tend to help your body get rid of newly formed cholesterol. Due to this, the blood cholesterol level is kept down and reduces cholesterol deposits in artery walls. Recent research has shown that monounsaturated fats may also help reduce blood cholesterol as long as the diet is also very low in saturated fat.
It is also true that nuts do contain high amounts of fat, but they contain "good fats" which are unsaturated fats that do not raise blood cholesterol. Nuts do not contain any cholesterol, and are considered a good source of protein, according to the AHA. However, it is stressed that the potential benefits of nuts may be negated if they are added rather than substituted for other foods in the diet. Since nuts are very high in fat and calories, they are generally not recommended for people who need to restrict calories. Most of the fat in nuts are polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. Some examples of nuts that contain higher amounts of polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats include almonds, pecans, and walnuts.
Source: American Heart Association.
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