Eating nuts is beneficial for health. They help obese people not to lose weight but to improve their lipid balance.
To fight against the harmful effects of obesity on health, eating nuts could prove effective. A new study, published in the journal Journal of the American Heart Association, shows that this food, consumed moderately daily, has a positive impact on several markers of cardiovascular health, including cholesterol.
The researchers behind this publication, from the University of California, recruited 245 obese or overweight women, aged 22 to 72 years. They then divided them into three groups, each with a different diet, and followed them for a year.
The first group was thus prescribed a diet low in fat and rich in carbohydrates (sugars, starch and fibre), the second a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates. The third was similar to the second, with more nuts (42.5 grams).
Rise in HDL-cholesterol
After six months, the researchers became interested in the weight loss of these women. Few differences were observed between the different groups, all had, on average, lost 8% of their initial weight.
However, the lipid profile of the participants who had eaten nuts every day was much better than that of the other women, especially for those who suffered from insulin resistance. Levels of LDL-cholesterol (the “bad cholesterol”), the source of fatty plaques that can clog arteries, were lower in nut eaters, while levels of HDL-cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”) ”) increased during follow-up.
The researchers believe that this study provides further evidence that a diet high in polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts, is good for your health. Replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, as recommended by several works from Harvard University, according to this latest study, is of real interest. It should be noted, however, that this study is limited by the fact that only women were followed. It is therefore impossible to conclude on the benefits of nuts for overweight men.
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