Secrets to boosting your heart health with nuts

Discover why nuts are so healthy for your heart and how to include them in your diet.

Eating the right foods can help lower the risk of heart disease, and nuts are a particularly healthy choice. They are delicious, packed full of beneficial nutrients and contain heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Nuts are filled with unsaturated fats such as polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat, which have been linked with lower cholesterol levels. Essentially, these are the good fats that contribute to a healthy heart. There are a broad range of nuts with good fats to choose from, including almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts and peanuts.

Nuts are a great source of fibre, which can help lower cholesterol levels. Fibre also plays a key role in helping you get that "full" feeling in order to keep you from overeating, which can help you maintain an ideal weight for better heart health.

Nuts contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower triglyceride levels and inflammation that can lead to blood clots. Walnuts and cashews are the two types of nuts that contain the most omega-3 fatty acids.

L-arginine is an important amino acid that is found in nuts. This amino acid is converted into nitrous oxide (NO2) inside the body, which can drastically help improve blood flow and help relax artery walls. Almonds and walnuts are an especially rich source of arginine.

Nuts are a rich source of vitamins, including vitamin E that can keep plaque from building up in your blood vessels. Nuts also have a high level of B vitamins, which can help regulate blood pressure levels and reduce homocysteine, a substance that can lead to heart disease when high levels are detected in the blood.

One of the best ways to eat nuts is as a snack. Choose raw, unflavoured, unsalted nuts for the best results. Bring a bag of nuts on car rides, to work or school to give you a boost of energy in the middle of the day. You can also incorporate nuts into your meals. Crushed almonds taste great in smoothies and oatmeal, cashews go well with rice dishes and walnuts add a delicious crunch to salads.

Nuts are a valuable tool for helping to fight heart disease. Not only will your body thank you, but your taste buds will as well.