You all know I used to eat peanuts like crazy, by the handful in fact. They're not primal but almonds are, so I eat them now! Read the following article from this week's newsletter from Dr. Mirkin (http://www.drmirkin.com/). Do you see your favorite nuts (not you, Mark!)?
Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-ZineMay 16, 2010: Nuts Prevent Heart Attacks. A review of 25 studies shows that eating nuts (including peanuts) lowers cholesterol to help prevent heart attacks (Archives of Internal Medicine, May 10, 2010). Eating an average of 2.5 ounces of nuts per day lowers total cholesterol 5.1 percent, LDL (the bad cholesterol) 7.4 percent, and triglycerides 10.2 percent. It even lowers Lp(a), a genetic component of cholesterol that increases risk for strokes and heart attacks in young people. The more nuts a person eats, the lower the cholesterol. Those with the highest bad LDL cholesterol had the greatest lowering when they ate nuts. An earlier review of five large epidemiologic studies and 11 clinical studies showed that eating nuts reduces risk for heart attacks (Nutrition Reviews, May 8, 2001). The most improvement came from eating two ounces (four tablespoons) of nuts five or more times a week. Eating an ounce of nuts more than five times a week can result in a 25 to 39 percent reduction in heart attack risk. Nuts are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Before the bad LDL cholesterol can form plaques in arteries, it must be converted to oxidized LDL. LDL formed from monounsaturated fat is highly resistant to oxidation, so the LDL is less likely to be converted to its form that damages arteries. The nuts in these studies included almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts. Among Americans, peanuts account for approximately half of all nuts consumed.
I'm pretty sure we eat nuts every day. If it's not a handful of almonds, walnuts, pecans, or cashews, then its almond meal cooked into something else. We have grown to love them. Recently, I started making homemade protein bars and nuts form the majority of ingredients. I'll post that recipe soon.
ReplyDelete:) I LOVE NUTS! Oh. That sounded dirty.
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding of the book, peanuts are actually a legume. Although great for your heart and packed with protein, they are converted to sugars in your body which messes with your insulin levels which, from my understanding, can inhibit body fat metabilization and give you a hunger spike shortly afterwards. I still love them though.
ReplyDeleteI need to find some nuts that I like. I know I don't like walnuts by themselves, but the nuts in the larabars don't bug me. I don't like almonds, and the only time I can handle pecans is when they're on a pie! What are some alternatives? I think I'm going to try cashews and pistacchios. Not sure if I spelled that right. I also like beer, but have switched to the budwiser 55 calorie bottles, and only drink them in moderation.
I really like cashews. I like the other ones that you said you didn't okay, but not as much as cashews. I eat all the others in things. I make my own protein bars with a bunch of the others. Maybe I'll link to that recipe soon.
ReplyDeleteTry some of the other nuts mixed together with some dried fruit. You may like it better that way. Also, try hazelnuts and filberts. Those are good.