Eating 1 pack of nuts a day for 3 months and being diagnosed with high blood lipids? It is best not to buy these two kinds of nuts!

When it comes to nuts, I think many people will think of "health".

Now more and more people regard it as a "healthy snack". The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and everyone will buy some nuts for the New Year.

Image from: Weibo screenshot

However, there is a recent news that #eating 1 pack of nuts every day for 3 months can lead to high blood lipids#. The story is that 46-year-old Ms. Chen was diagnosed with high blood lipids during a physical examination. It turned out that Ms. Chen heard that eating nuts is good for the body, so she ate a pack every day for 3 months, and also ate some peanuts and walnuts as "snacks"...

Many people are wondering: Does eating nuts really lead to high blood lipids? How to eat nuts healthily? Today we will talk about nuts.

I'm very busy, quick reading version●

Eating nuts appropriately can relieve dyslipidemia and promote healthy blood lipids.

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Nuts are high in unsaturated fatty acids and dietary fiber, and have a strong sense of fullness. Proper consumption will not make you fat.

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Try not to buy nuts that are moldy, have a stale greasy smell, or have a rancid smell.

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It is best to eat different types of nuts in combination.

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Try not to eat nuts seasoned with salt or sugar, and try not to eat fried nuts.

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The recommended daily intake of soybeans and nuts is 25-35 grams.

1

Does eating nuts lead to high blood lipids?

A more accurate term for high blood lipids should be "dyslipidemia".

Blood lipids are the general term for cholesterol, triglycerides and lipids in the serum. Indicators that reflect blood lipids include triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), etc.

If total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides are all elevated, it can be called "hyperlipidemia."

But high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is called "good cholesterol" and can remove low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), also known as "bad cholesterol", from the blood. We hope that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is higher.

In fact, many studies have found that eating nuts appropriately is beneficial for alleviating dyslipidemia and promoting healthy blood lipids.

A meta-study analyzed the relationship between eating nuts and blood lipids, and the results showed that eating about 50-100 grams (about 1.5-3.5 servings) of nuts per week can lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in people with normal blood lipids and those with high blood lipids.

A study that summarized intervention experiments of 25 nut consumption trials conducted in 7 countries showed that regular consumption of nuts can improve blood lipids, especially in people with higher LDC-C.

2

Does eating nuts make you fat?

There is also a common saying on the Internet: "A handful of melon seeds and a spoonful of oil, eating nuts can easily make you fat."

Is this true?

Image from: Weibo screenshot

In fact, eating nuts in moderation will not make you fat.

The reason why people think that eating nuts can easily make you fat is mainly because nuts have a very high fat content, ranging from 40% to 80%. Eating nuts after a meal will result in excessive energy intake during the day, especially after dinner while playing with your phone or watching TV series while eating nuts, which will of course make you fat.

However, if you eat nuts at the right time, they will not make you fat.

On the one hand, nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids.

Some studies suggest that they are more easily oxidized and have a greater thermogenic effect than saturated fatty acids, thereby reducing fat accumulation. Unsaturated fatty acids can also reduce the level of low-density lipoprotein, or "bad cholesterol," in the body.

On the other hand, nuts are rich in dietary fiber and have a strong sense of fullness.

Especially nuts such as almonds, almonds, hazelnuts, etc., eating these nuts during meals will not increase the total energy of a meal.

Studies have found that if almonds are included in a meal and eaten with starchy foods, the feeling of fullness after the meal can last longer, and even continue to work at the next meal, maintaining the fullness effect throughout the day.

For this reason, many studies have found that eating nuts in moderation does not make people fat.

The study analyzed the diet and body mass index (BMI) information of 373,293 subjects and data collected in the European Prospective Study on Cancer and Nutrition, and found that the subjects gained an average of 2.1kg during the study period. Those who consumed the most nuts not only gained less weight than their counterparts who did not eat nuts, but also had a 5% lower risk of overweight and obesity.

Recently, a study from the University of Toronto summarized the results of 121 clinical trials and prospective studies, with a total sample size of more than 500,000, covering a variety of nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts and peanuts), as well as people with various health conditions and conditions. The results also showed that eating nuts does not cause obesity.

So, as long as you eat them right, nuts will not make you fat.

3

Do you want to eat nuts?

My suggestion is that you should still eat it.

In fact, from a nutritional point of view, although nuts are high in fat, most of it is unsaturated fat (good fat); they are also rich in protein and dietary fiber, vitamin E and B vitamins (especially B1), and the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also prominent.

According to current nutrition research, eating nuts in moderation is good for health. Many studies have found that eating nuts is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and colon cancer in women.

Of course, this has a premise: the total energy does not increase.

If you eat too many nuts, not only will you gain weight, but these health benefits will also be lost.

4

What nuts are good to eat?

There are many kinds of nuts on the market, such as almonds, pistachios, pine nuts, etc. Which one is better to buy?

In fact, there is no saying that "which type of nut is definitely better". The nutritional value of each type of nut is different. They also have their own different tastes and nutritional advantages. Everyone can choose freely according to the principle of "buy the one you like".

As a nutritionist, I suggest that you eat a variety of nuts together or in rotation. Now many nut gift packs and gift boxes on the market are sold with various nuts mixed together, which is very convenient to buy home.

5

How to choose nuts?

When buying nuts, I remind you to pay special attention to two points:

1. Is there a musty smell?

If there is a musty smell, it means that the nuts may be contaminated with mycotoxins, such as the most worrying aflatoxin, which may cause liver cancer.

2. Is there any smell of stale fat or rancid smell?

If there is a smell of stale oil or a rancid smell, it means that the oil in the nuts has undergone fat oxidation and may contain a large amount of fat oxidation products. Not only will the nutritional value be greatly reduced, but the fat oxidation products may also be harmful to your health.

If you find these two situations when buying nuts, it is best not to buy them.

6

How to eat nuts healthily?

Here are some things to note when eating nuts healthily:

1. Try to eat nuts that are not seasoned with sugar and salt.

Most processed nuts are seasoned with salt and sugar. They taste good and may make you eat too much, which will lead to excessive intake of sugar and salt, which is bad for your health.

2. Eat less fried nuts and fried nuts coated with flour.

In order to make them delicious, many nuts are usually fried, or coated with flour and then fried. The fat content of the nuts themselves is not low. Frying them will make them oilier. Eating too much is not good for weight control and blood lipids.

3. Eat in moderation, don’t eat too much.

The premise that eating nuts is good for health is "moderation". Nuts themselves are high in fat, so don't eat a lot of them thinking that it will be healthy.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents 2016 Edition" recommends eating about 25 to 35 grams of soy nuts every day, about 7 to 8 small nuts such as peanuts, cashews, and almonds, and 2 to 3 large nuts such as walnuts and macadamia nuts.

References

[1]Mukuddem-Petersen J, Oosthuizen W, Jerling JC. A systematic review of the effects of nuts on blood lipid profiles in humans. J Nutr. 2005 Sep;135(9):2082-9. doi: 10.1093/jn/135.9.2082. PMID: 16140880.

[2]Sabaté J, Oda K, Ros E. Nut consumption and blood lipid levels: a pooled analysis of 25 intervention trials. Arch Intern Med. 2010 May 10;170(9):821-7. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.79. PMID: 20458092.

[3]Sabaté J, Wien M. Nuts, blood lipids and cardiovascular disease. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2010;19(1):131-6. PMID: 20199998.

Source: Nutritionist Ruan Guangfeng