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Medical Forum / General / Nutrition / September 2004Almonds
I've been snacking on almonds (raw or dry roasted, unsalted) and like 'em so much I am wondering whether I eat too many for my health. I started because they are said to raise HDL (good cholesterol). But now I'm up to at least a half cup per day and that's a lot of fat. I'm in my fifties, athletic and trim with no excess weight at all, so the calories don't bother me. BUT, almonds have tons of fat, mostly mono and poly-unsaturated. Is it healthy to eat 50 gm or so of those types of fat every day? Will this lead to cardiovascular problems, or will it improve my cholesterol profile? Thanks, George As far as I know only pistachio nuts raise HDL levels. Look at this research about pistachio nuts http://intl.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/18/3/229 Almonds are healthy also as they contain vitamin E, but if you want to raise your HDL levels specifically I think that it would be advisable to shift mainly to pistachios. But of course they contain a lot of calories, so it is good to limit the intake. Jan > As far as I know only pistachio nuts raise HDL levels. Look at this > research about pistachio nuts [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > to shift mainly to pistachios. But of course they contain a lot of > calories, so it is good to limit the intake. Well, it is fat and it is not saturated fat or trans. So if replaced for carb calories, it will drive TG down (and thus HDL up). It will also increase LDL diameter size (when TG goes down, LDL becomes bigger and HDL goes up). Thumb of rule is Saturated fat: TG down, HDL up and LDL up. MUFA: TG down, HDL up, LDL unchanged (but beware euric acid from rapeseed oil!). PUFA: TG down, HDL up, LDL down, but oxLDL probably up! Trans: HDL down, LDL up, oxLDL up Mirek > > As far as I know only pistachio nuts raise HDL levels. Look at this > > research about pistachio nuts [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Mirek I am aware that there are many studies which show that nuts and almonds are very healthy. However, I remember seeing that only pistachios are able to *raise* the HDL levels. Other nuts are good for heart health in other respects. Are you able to provide any study that would show that almonds increase HDL? Jan > I am aware that there are many studies which show that nuts and almonds > are very healthy. However, I remember seeing that only pistachios are > able to *raise* the HDL levels. Hello, Jan! Pecans can also raise HDL: J Nutr. 2001 Sep;131(9):2275-9. A monounsaturated fatty acid-rich pecan-enriched diet favorably alters the serum lipid profile of healthy men and women. Rajaram S, Burke K, Connell B, Myint T, Sabate J. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA. Frequent consumption of nuts is associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effect of pecans rich in monounsaturated fat as an alternative to the Step 1 diet in modifying serum lipids and lipoproteins in men and women with normal to moderately high serum cholesterol. In a single-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover feeding study, we assigned 23 subjects (mean age: 38 y; 9 women, 14 men) to follow two diets, each for 4 wk: a Step I diet and a pecan-enriched diet (accomplished by proportionately reducing all food items in a Step I diet by one fifth for a 20% isoenergetic replacement with pecans). The percentage of energy from fat in the two diets was 28.3 and 39.6%, respectively. Both diets improved the lipid profile; however, the pecan-enriched diet decreased both serum total and LDL cholesterol by 0.32 mmol/L (6.7 and 10.4%, respectively) and triglyceride by 0.14 mmol/L (11.1%) beyond the Step I diet, while increasing HDL cholesterol by 0.06 mmol/L (2.5 mg/dL). Serum apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) decreased by 11.6 and 11.1%, respectively, and apolipoprotein A1 increased by 2.2% when subjects consumed the pecan compared with the Step I diet. These differences were all significant (P < 0.05). A 20% isoenergetic replacement of a Step I diet with pecans favorably altered the serum lipid profile beyond the Step I diet, without increasing body weight. Nuts such as pecans that are rich in monounsaturated fat may therefore be recommended as part of prescribed cholesterol-lowering diet of patients or habitual diet of healthy individuals. Publication Types: Clinical Trial Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 11533266 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] > > I am aware that there are many studies which show that nuts and almonds > > are very healthy. However, I remember seeing that only pistachios are [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effect of pecans rich in > monounsaturated fat as an alternative to the Step 1 diet in modifying > serum lipids and lipoproteins in men and women with normal to moderately > high serum cholesterol. In a single-blind, randomized, controlled, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > replacement with pecans). The percentage of energy from fat in the two > diets was 28.3 and 39.6%, respectively. Both diets improved the lipid > profile; however, the pecan-enriched diet decreased both serum total and > LDL cholesterol by 0.32 mmol/L (6.7 and 10.4%, respectively) and [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > all significant (P < 0.05). A 20% isoenergetic replacement of a Step I > diet with pecans favorably altered the serum lipid profile beyond the > Step I diet, without increasing body weight. Nuts such as pecans that > are rich in monounsaturated fat may therefore be recommended as part of > prescribed cholesterol-lowering diet of patients or habitual diet of > healthy individuals. Hi cde, And thank you for providing this study. It seems to me that pistachios are still more effective in raising HDL levels. But what is interesting to me is the fact that pecans decrease lipoprotein(a). Have you got any knowledge about other foods that would decrease it? Jan > And thank you for providing this study. It seems to me that pistachios > are still more effective in raising HDL levels. But what is interesting > to me is the fact that pecans decrease lipoprotein(a). Have you got any > knowledge about other foods that would decrease it? Saturated fat. Mirek > Hi cde, > > And thank you for providing this study. It seems to me that pistachios > are still more effective in raising HDL levels. But what is interesting > to me is the fact that pecans decrease lipoprotein(a). Have you got any > knowledge about other foods that would decrease it? Fish combined with fruits, vegetables, and a handful of the right nuts/seeds (a very high fiber diet) will decrease Lp(a). ------------------------------------- Lancet. 1996 Sep 21;348(9030):784-8. Comment in: Lancet. 1996 Nov 23;348(9039):1460. Blood pressure and atherogenic lipoprotein profiles of fish-diet and vegetarian villagers in Tanzania: the Lugalawa study. Pauletto P, Puato M, Caroli MG, Casiglia E, Munhambo AE, Cazzolato G, Bittolo Bon G, Angeli MT, Galli C, Pessina AC. Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Universita di Padova, Italy. BACKGROUND: There is evidence that populations with a high intake of fish, and specifically fish oils, are at reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. To explore the effect of fish intake, we compared two groups of Bantu villagers in Tanzania; one group live on the shores of Lake Nyasa and their diet includes large amounts of freshwater fish; the other group live in the nearby hills and have a vegetarian diet. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study of 622 fish-consuming villagers and 686 vegetarian villagers. 618 (99.4%) and 645 (94.0%), respectively, agreed to take part. Anthropometric and self-reported medical history data were collected by one local physician and a medical assistant, who also measured blood pressure and took blood samples for measurement of plasma lipids. A dietary questionnaire was administered to 25 families (about 15% of the study population) in each village. FINDINGS: After adjustment for age, sex, and alcohol intake the fish-consuming group had lower mean blood pressure than the vegetarian group (123/72 vs 133/76 mm Hg, p < 0.001). The frequencies of definite and borderline hypertension (by WHO criteria) were lower in the fish-consuming than in the vegetarian group (2.8 vs 16.4%; 9.7 vs 22.3%, respectively). Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (mean 3.53 [SD 1.04] vs 4.10 [1.04] mmol/L), triglycerides (0.92 [0.64] vs 1.31 [0.64] mmol/L), and lipoprotein(a) (201 [213] vs 321 [212] mg/L), were all lower (p < 0.0001) in the fish-consuming group than in the vegetarian group. The proportions of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma lipids were higher (p < 0.0001) in the fish-consuming group than in the vegetarian group (eicosapentaenoic acid 2.3 [1.3] vs 0.7 [0.2]%; docosapentaenoic acid 1.1 [0.4] vs 0.6 [0.3]%; docosahexaenoic acid 5.7 [1.6] vs 1.5 [1.1]%). INTERPRETATION: In these villagers, consumption of freshwater fish (300-600 g daily) was associated with raised plasma concentrations of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, lower blood pressure, and lower plasma lipid concentrations. PMID: 8813985 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] See also: Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Popovich DG, Vidgen E, Mehling CC, Vuksan V, Ransom TP, Rao AV, Rosenberg-Zand R, Tariq N, Corey P, Jones PJ, Raeini M, Story JA, Furumoto EJ, Illingworth DR, Pappu AS, Connelly PW. Effect of a very-high-fiber vegetable, fruit, and nut diet on serum lipids and colonic function. Metabolism. 2001 Apr;50(4):494-503. PMID: 11288049 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (55 g fiber/1000 kcal diet, 5 kg fruits/vegetables + 90 g nuts/seeds per day). I can send you this and a related paper if you do not already have it. Also-- almonds Circulation. 2002 Sep 10;106(11):1327-32, PMID: 12221048 flax Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Mar;69(3):395-402. PMID: 10075322 another high fruit/vegetable/nut trial: Metabolism. 1997 May;46(5):530-7. PMID: 9160820 > I am aware that there are many studies which show that nuts and almonds > are very healthy. However, I remember seeing that only pistachios are > able to *raise* the HDL levels. Other nuts are good for heart health in > other respects. Are you able to provide any study that would show that > almonds increase HDL? Well, actually, I never bothered to find out specifically about almonds. I just applied to them "general MUFA rule" :) Anyway, simple google: almonds HDL gives a lot of results, like http://www.lifeclinic.com/healthnews/article_view.asp?story=508641 You are partly right, almonds seem to significantly lower LDL but HDL increase is not as big.... Mirek "Mirek Fidler" <cxl@volny.cz> wrote in message > Thumb of rule is > Saturated fat: TG down, HDL up and LDL up. > MUFA: TG down, HDL up, LDL unchanged (but beware euric acid from > rapeseed oil!). > PUFA: TG down, HDL up, LDL down, but oxLDL probably up! > Trans: HDL down, LDL up, oxLDL up Thanks. Does the omega-3/omega-6 ratio of the MUFA and the PUFA have any effect on this, or is that a completely independent issue? This thread made me hungry, so I went out to a local mediterranean restaurant and bought a 1/2 lb of almonds and a lb of kalamata olives, which I've been snacking on. Mmmm! Adam Becker > I've been snacking on almonds (raw or dry roasted, unsalted) and like 'em so > much I am wondering whether I eat too many for my health. I started because [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > poly-unsaturated. Is it healthy to eat 50 gm or so of those types of fat > every day? AFAIK, almonds are mostly monounsaturated, like olive oil. >Will this lead to cardiovascular problems, or will it improve my > cholesterol profile? It will likely improve lipid profile - HDL will go up, TG down. As for cardio, who knows... If you believe that altering lipid profile by diet has any effect to cardio health, or more specifically raising HDL and lowering TG, then of course you can believe it is good for heart too... Mirek GW schrieb: > I've been snacking on almonds (raw or dry roasted, unsalted) and like 'em so > much I am wondering whether I eat too many for my health. I started because [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > every day? Will this lead to cardiovascular problems, or will it improve my > cholesterol profile? Almonds are very healthy. Several epidemiological studies have shown that a high consumption of nuts like almonds significantly _reduce_ the risk of developing heart disease. Examples are the Nurses' Health Study, the Adventist Health Study and the Iowa Women Health Study. In those studies people who consumed a lot of nuts had a risk reduction of 35-50 % for heart disease when compared to those who never or almost never ate nuts. This reduction is quite important. In the the Nurses Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study a diet high in fruit and vegetables was only associated with a risk reduction of 20 %. This comparison shows the relative importance of nuts for a healthy diet. Almonds are the perfect health food. They are high in good fats (the notion that all fats are bad for you is just plain wrong, the monounsaturated fat in almonds is healthy) and have moderate amounts of protein (high in the amino acid arginie which is believed to be good for your blood vessels) and moderate amounts of good carbs (low GI). They are also high in fiber, in minerals like potassium and magnesium and in vitamins like vitamin E. Thorsten  Signature"Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution" (Theodosius Dobzhansky) |
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