Pecans, Olive Oil, Leafy Green Vegetables and Heart Health
According to recent research found in The Journal of Nutrition, the heart healthy benefits of pecan nuts are even greater than once believed. Scientists at the Loma Linda University in California identified a number of powerful antioxidants found in pecan nuts which can lower levels of bad cholesterol, benefit the health of the heart and offer protection against inflammation which can cause heart disease.
The team from the Loma Linda University performed an evaluation of 16 women and men, between the ages of 23 and 44 years. The group was divided, and each subgroup was assigned one out of three chosen diets. One group’s diet contained approximately 3 ounces of blended pecan nuts with water; the next group ate a diet contained approximately 3 ounces of whole pecan nuts; the third group ate a control item. Blood samples were taken at varying intervals up to one day after consuming the assigned meals. Researchers found a distinct increase in the ORAC – oxygen radical absorbance capabilities, as well as a reduction in LDL cholesterol (the “bad” form of cholesterol) – in the groups which consumed the diets enriched with pecan nuts.
One researcher noted that “”Our tests show that eating pecans increases the amount of healthy antioxidantsin the body,” She went on to state that “This protective effect is important in helping to prevent development of various diseases such as cancer and heart disease.”
Pecan nuts are rich in the natural form of vitamin E – tocopherols – particularly, they are rich in gamma-tocopherols, which are strongly associated with reducing inflammation. This study found that the blood levels of this type of vitamin E actually doubled a mere eight hours after consuming the pecan nuts. And, only three hours after consuming the pecans, the levels of LDL cholesterol decreased by 33% in the body.
The researcher, Haddad, added that “This study is another piece of evidence that pecans are a healthy food, Previous research has shown that pecans contain antioxidan tfactors. Our study shows these antioxidants are indeed absorbed in the body and provide a protective effect against diseases.”
Now, more news about olive oil, green leafy vegetables and heart-health.
Researchers from Italy found that diets which contain large quantities of olive oil and green leafy vegetables are important to maintaining heart health. A team from the Cancer Research and Prevention Institute in Florence found that women who eat a minimum of one serving of leafy green vegetables every day are almost 50% less likely to develop heart disease than women who consume fewer leafy green vegetables. The same heart healthy benefits are derived by eating at least 3 tablespoons olive oil every day. (This is easier to do than it sounds; olive oil makes a wonderful salad dressing and garnish for many savory foods.)
The head researcher explained that “Probably the mechanisms responsible for the protective effect of plant-origin foods on cardiovascular diseases involve micronutrients such as folate, antioxidant vitamins and potassium, all present in green leafy vegetables.”
This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It collected data from 30,000 Italian women and tracked the state of their health over an eight year period. Cases of heart disease were correlated to the foods found in their diet which led to the conclusion that green leafy vegetables and olive oil are beneficial to the heart.
In addition to being heart-smart, vegetables and olive oil have been shown to treat and prevent type II diabetes, maintain a healthy body mass and reduce the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer and other types of mental and physical ailments.