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Go Nuts: The Right Fats Can Keep You Healthy
You probably know that it's a good idea to limit the amount of butter and animal
fats in your diet. Good as they taste, these saturated fats can lead to heart disease
or stroke as your arteries clog up with cholesterol deposits.
Now the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you replace saturated fat
with other fats: monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Found in olive and corn oil, these fats are liquid at room temperature.
They also are found in fish, nuts and whole olives.
Studies have found that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may make the blood clotting component of the blood, called platelets,
less sticky and less likely to form dangerous clots. Blood clots in the blood vessels can trigger a heart attack or stroke. Monounsaturated
fatty acids may also help to dissolve clots if they do form, the AHA points out.
And for people with type 2 diabetes, a diet higher in monounsaturated or
polyunsaturated fats can help improve control of blood cholesterol. Substituting
unsaturated fats for carbohydrates avoids the reduction in HDL ("good") cholesterol and the rise in triglyceride levels associated with high carbohydrate diets.
Where can you get these "good" fats? Monounsaturated fats can be found in olive and
canola oil, peanuts and nuts, avocados, and olives. Polyunsaturated fats are
found in corn or soybean oil, nuts, seeds and cold water fish such as salmon.
More benefits of nuts
Studies show that healthy men, and those who have already suffered a heart attack
can reduce future risk by eating nuts regularly. Nuts may help lower cholesterol, especially when
replacing less healthy foods in the diet. Nuts also contain:
heart healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats
omega-3 fats to protect against irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)arginine, a substance that may improve blood vessel function
other nutrients such as fiber and vitamin E that may help lower cardiovascular risk.
Our baskets
To help keep our clients healthy, we include pistachios and other mixed nuts plus olives and smoked salmon in our baskets.
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Copyright © 2008. The Healthy Basket.
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