The consumption of nuts (walnuts and others) would be associated with a lower risk of heart problems and atrial fibrillation, According to the results of a study published in the medical journal BMJ Journal.
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University in Sweden conducted a study with 61,364 Swedes aged 45 to 83 who had completed the “Food Frequency Questionnaire”, which focused on their diet, lifestyle and other risk factors for chronic diseases. The study was conducted for 17 years.
Heart-healthy nuts
Study results showed that consuming a serving of tree nuts one to three times a month was linked to a 3% lower risk of atrial fibrillation. Eating it once or twice a week reduced this same risk by 12%. And eating nuts at least three times a week lowered the risk by 18%.
Moderate weekly consumption of nuts is associated with a 20% lower risk ofheart failure.
“Nut consumption, or factors associated with this nutritional habit, may play a role in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation, and possibly heart failure,” the researchers said.
“Since a small proportion of this population had moderate (about 5% of patients) or high (less than 2%) tree nut consumption, a small increase in the consumption of these foods may be sufficient to lead to a reduction in the incidence of atrial fibrillation and heart failure in this population”.
The results of this study confirm conclusions researchers from the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University (California), AgroParisTech and the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) who revealed that to preserve the health of your heart and reduce the risk of cardiovascular illnesses, the proportion of animal protein should be reduced and that of nuts increased.
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