Eating nuts can help lower bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Investigators pooled data from 25 experimental studies carried out in seven countries. They found that almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and even peanuts help improve blood lipids. Consuming about two and a half ounces daily helped reduce total cholesterol by almost 11 points. Bad LDL cholesterol dropped by about 10 points and triglycerides, a measure of fat in the blood, went down by 21 points or nearly 10 percent.
The benefits were most apparent in people who started with elevated levels of triglycerides or cholesterol. The more nuts people ate, the stronger the effect. Of course, nuts have calories, so over indulging is likely to be counterproductive by leading to weight gain. Perhaps people should eat nuts instead of snacks or dessert.
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