In our diet we have local and traditional foods that take good care of our health. Walnuts are one of them. A typical food of the colder seasons that takes care of our heart.
Maintain a balanced diet has countless positive effects on health. A good range of a variety of foods will help preserve our physical well-being and promote cardiovascular health.. If we draw up a list of products that should not be missing in a balanced diet, we will find that the most common ones are nuts would top the ranking, with walnuts at the top of the inventory.
Walnuts, a rich food with many properties
This small, woody-skinned fruit is a wonder. It is shaped like a small brain and its taste is reminiscent of sweet, tender and very tasty wood. It has a high calorie content, which is why it it is advisable to eat 5-7 nuts a day. This is sufficient to prevent cardiovascular problems, since it walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acidswhose function is to protect the heart.
Nuts provide a number of essential nutrients, including healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Omega-3 regulates bad cholesterol and the amount of lipids in the blood, which has a positive impact on the cardiac system. In fact, scientific studies have shown not only that nut consumption is associated with heart disease or stroke, but that this is because they reduce as well as improve "bad" cholesterol particles.
In addition, it improves the quality of cholesterol and triglyceride particles, which also reduces their number. This improves the lining of the arteries and reduces the likelihood of thrombi in the blood, which can lead to a heart attack.
The consumption of walnuts is also associated with a reduced risk of respiratory diseases and even some types of cancer thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect.
Other benefits of walnuts
According to recent studies, regular consumption of walnuts and other nuts such as almonds promotes other aspects of health beyond the heart. Here are some of them.
- They help regulate weight. Despite their high calorie content, eating a daily portion of nuts and dried fruit, half of which should be made up of nuts, the risk of putting on weight is reduced by up to 15 %. This is because, thanks to its high fibre content, it makes you feel full.
2. They promote intestinal health. According to one study, eating 43 grams of walnuts daily for 2 months increases the favourable bacteria present in the gut that make up the microbiomeessential for good intestinal health.
3. They support brain health. The antioxidants and anti-inflammatories in walnuts reduce inflammation in the brain which causes cognitive impairment in the elderly. Vitamin E contained in nuts and dried fruit also helps in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Other heart-healthy foods for heart and disease prevention
The list of these foods is long and varied. Some of them are:
• El dark chocolatehelps the flexibility of the arteries.
• El green tea: lowers the fat in the blood.
• El olive oilthanks to its composition of fatty acids and antioxidants.
- The pulses: they promote healthy blood cholesterol levels.
On the other hand, there are the so-called "superfoods. Of all those that fall under the umbrella of this designation, most are foods or substances that are less common to us than olive oil or walnuts themselves, but which can be found in many establishments.
At Biosalud Day Hospital, as specialists in biological medicine, we attach great importance to nutrition as part of our treatments, but also as a means of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This is our main objective, that we all incorporate nutrition as part of a healthy life so that our development and ageing are healthy.
