Eating Nuts and Seeds Frequently Can Keep Your Circulatory System Healthier

by | Aug 8, 2008 | 2006, Cardiovascular Health, Circulatory Health, Diabetes, Nuts and Seeds

Written by Susan Sweeny Johnson, PhD, Biochem.

Nuts and seeds are rich in omega-3 unsaturated fats, vitamin E and fiber.  Many studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins, fiber and L-arginine help reduce inflammation. (1-6) Inflammation is a red flag for various circulatory diseases – atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. (7) Also, nut and seed intake is directly associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. (8-10)

In a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the effect of nut and seed consumption on the presence of certain markers of inflammation was examined.  This clinical study was based on a dietary survey of 6814 people, 45-84 years old, with no signs of cardiovascular disease.  Based on the participants’ self-reported eating habits, they were put into four categories of nut and seed consumption: rare, less than once a week, one to four times a week, and more than five times a week.  Peanuts and peanut butter were included as nuts and seeds.

Blood samples from each participant were assessed for three markers of inflammation: C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and fibrinogen.

When all results were adjusted only for age, a clear and statistically significant decrease in the three inflammation markers occurred with increased nut and seed consumption.  For example, an 18% drop in C-reactive protein levels occurred when comparing rare consumption to five or more times a week.

Since other health factors could easily affect the inflammation markers, the researchers did corrections for age, gender, race, education, family income, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, consumption of fish oil supplements and total energy intake.  The results after these corrections showed the same trend as above.

When the results were broken down by ethnic group, the consumption of nuts and seeds decreased inflammation markers significantly for Caucasians, but less significantly for African-Americans and insignificantly for Hispanics and Asians. (The researchers noted that the population of Hispanic and Asian in the survey was smaller and the dietary questionnaire was prepared primarily for Caucasian and African-American eating habits.)

Overall, eating nuts, seeds, peanuts and peanut butter five or more times a week appears to help the body fight inflammation and therefore slows the progression of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes.

Source: Jiang, Rui, David R. Jacobs, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Moyses Szklo, David Herrington, Nancy S. Jenny, Richard Kronmal, and R. Graham Barr. “Nut and seed consumption and inflammatory markers in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.” American Journal of Epidemiology 163, no. 3 (2006): 222-231.

© 2005 by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Posted August 7, 2008.

References:

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