Nuts such as walnuts and almonds are a great source of numerous nutrients that ensure your heart stays healthy. Consuming walnuts regularly have been linked to significantly unclogging arteries according to an animal study.
Adding almonds to your diet lowers your LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, which is involved in creating plaques in your coronary arteries that can cause heart attacks.
Walnuts were found to increase the elasticity of arteries by 64 per cent, and to reduce cell adhesion molecules associated with hardening of the arteries by 20 per cent.
But walnuts are great because they tend to have more polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with other nuts—especially heart-friendly alpha linolenic acid, which is thought to do a great job of stymieing plaque accumulation in arteries.
An atherectomy is a procedure to remove plaque from an artery (blood vessel). Removing plaque makes the artery wider, so blood can flow more freely to the heart muscles. In an atherectomy, the plaque is shaved or vaporized away with tiny rotating blades or a laser on the end of a catheter (a thin, flexible tube).
Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans also appear to be quite heart healthy. So are peanuts — though they are technically not a nut, but a legume, like beans. It's best to choose unsalted or unsweetened nuts. Adding salt or sugar to nuts may cancel out their heart-healthy benefits.
Avocados deliver a one-two punch for cleaning out your arteries. Like olive oil, avocados contain loads of blood sugar-stabilizing, cholesterol-optimizing MUFAs. But they're also a surprisingly great source of fiber, clocking in at about 6.5 grams per half avocado.
Saturated fat is one of the worst offenders when it comes to plaque buildup in the arteries. Most experts suggest limiting saturated fats to under 7% of your daily calories.
A healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods may help reduce your risk of developing clogged arteries. Research has shown that adding foods like cruciferous vegetables, fish, berries, olive oil, oats, onions, greens, and beans to your diet may be an effective way to prevent atherosclerosis.
Often referred to as the king of nuts, almonds offer natural goodness in every bite and help create a variety of delectables.
Worst nuts for your diet
Ounce for ounce, macadamia nuts (10 to 12 nuts; 2 grams protein, 21 grams fat) and pecans (18 to 20 halves; 3 grams protein, 20 grams fat) have the most calories - 200 each - along with the lowest amounts of protein and the highest amounts of fats.
Nuts like almonds, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts are a great source of nutrients, such as protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. When eaten as part of a nutrient-dense diet, nuts may reduce your risk of heart disease and support immune health, among other benefits.
Blueberries and strawberries contain flavonoids, which help dilate arteries, reduce plaque buildup and increase blood flow.
High in potassium, foods like bananas can stop fatal blockages from occurring and inhibit the hardening and narrowing of arteries.
Peanut protein and bioactives help keep arteries healthy
First study to show that peanut protein and bioactives help keep arteries flexible. Peanuts prevent arteries from stiffening after a high-fat meal. After high-fat meals, peanuts reduce the rise in triglyceride levels by 32%
Not just any nut will do, however. The FDA includes six nuts in its qualified health claim, but a few others didn't make the cut, including Brazils, macadamias, and cashews. These nuts have relatively high levels of saturated fat, which over time can clog arteries and lead to heart disease.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
Exercise. Aerobic exercise can raise HDL, lower blood pressure, burn body fat, and lower blood sugar levels. Exercise combined with weight loss can also lower LDL levels.
Shell-on nuts are also generally unsalted (pistachios are an exception). Try to avoid dry-roasted, salted, flavoured or honey-roasted nuts, which come with extra salt and sometimes sugar too.
Almonds and other tree nuts can improve blood cholesterol. A recent study concluded that a diet supplemented with walnuts can lower the risk of heart complications in people with history of a heart attack.