Cardiovascular health and wellbeing, is all about squashing the inflammation, which is causing the blood vessels to break.

Preventing inflammation is problematic, so most pharmacological interventions aim to contain it. Antioxidants, are a generic strategy, to obliterate the reactive chemical species from tearing holes in tissues.  Nuts are a great source of antioxidants.

Nutty power a powerful force against inflammation

Numerous studies have linked regular nut consumption, to decreased risks of cardiovascular disease.

The power of the nut is in the package. The nut package includes protein, vitamins and minerals, dietary fibre plus a host of bioactive chemicals, many of which exhibit anti-oxidant properties including

• carotenoids
• phenols
• phytosterols
• proanthocyanidins

The nut package is convenient and relatively inexpensive; plus it tastes great.

The grab and go nature of the nut, means that they are an easy way of getting anti-oxidants in, when you’re on the run and their crunch, is a welcome addition to many food dishes.

Nuts have talent

Some scientists, with a little too much time on their hands, decided to find out which of the tree and ground nuts, should take the title of  “The nut of nuts”.

They gathered the contenders together, and then tested them to see which crushed oxidative chemical reactions best.

The line up included

• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Brazil nuts
• Pecans
• Pistachios
• Hazelnuts
• Cashews
• Macadamias
• Peanuts

And the winning nut was …………..

The walnut.

The competition was fierce, with each nut offering a unique phytochemical contribution, but the nut which cracked the winning performance was the walnut.

The high phenol content of walnuts, allowed them to edge out the other nuts.

Apples are out, walnuts are in

So it is time to change the old health rhyme

An apple A few walnuts a day,

Keeps the doctor away.

Key word is probably a few, remember to apply the basic rule of weight management i.e. calories in = calories out.

The above story is based on a press release from  American Chemical Society titled Walnuts are top nut for heart-healthy antioxidants

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Further reading

Almonds are like dog biscuits	The fountain of youth pumps out tomato puree and carrot soup	Pink pigments in cranberries help you “tinkle” better

The 7 Big Spoons™…. are master switches that turn health on.

Balance Eicosanoids	Rein in insulin	Dial down stress	Sleep !	Increase Vit D	Culivate microflora	Think champion

Hire Dr Sandy from a Spoonful of Science to be the keynote speaker at your next event.

Did you learn something new or do you have a different perspective ? I’d love to hear from you so post me a comments…