Consuming two or three whole walnuts daily improves the intestinal microbiota and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousLe nights they are not only a great snack, but also an effective one remedy for intestinal and heart health.
According to a new study, in fact, consuming walnuts daily promotes the growth of a balanced intestinal bacterial flora and this brings benefits to the cardiovascular system, decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The research involved 42 overweight and obese participants between the ages of 30 and 65. The group was initially placed on a typical American diet for two weeks, after which the participants were assigned three distinct diets, to be followed for six weeks.
All three diets included a lower intake of saturated fat than the initial diet. Additionally, one of the three regimes included the consumption of whole walnuts, while another regimen involved the intake of an amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) equal to that contained in walnuts.
Once the diet was over, the researchers analyzed the bacteria present in the participants' intestinal tract.
Test results, published in the Journal of Nutrition, showed that the diet that included the consumption of walnuts promoted the population of health-beneficial gut bacteria, such as Eubacteria admens and Butyricicoccus.
The improvement of the intestinal microbiome given by the consumption of walnuts has also been associated with a decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease, thanks to the reduction of blood pressure and total and LDL cholesterol.
The same thing did not happen for the other two diets, despite the reduction of saturated fats and the integration of ALA.
According to the researchers, foods such as nights they are capable of providing beneficial substances such as fiber and bioactive compounds, as well as essential fatty acids, which provide nutrition for beneficial bacteria. These bacteria then generate metabolites that they improve our health general.
Future research will investigate other possible benefits of eating walnuts, including whether these fruits can also affect blood sugar levels.
For the moment, thanks to this new research, we know that to improve the gut microbiome and protect oneself from the risk of cardiovascular disease, it would be enough eat two or three nuts a day as a snack, obviously as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
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