Go nuts to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer risk

By: Lisa Ely

Posted: 10/16/08

I love nuts. Cashews are the best (especially the honey-roasted variety), and then come peanut M&Ms and then almonds. Of course, I clearly don't love the nuts alone - I like them processed and salted and coated and calorie-infested, but I justify this by saying that regardless of what you add to the nut, you haven't subtracted from its nutritional value, you've just added a bit to the cavity crusters.

Cashews, with or without the caloric coating, are stuffed with goodness. The cashew nut is actually the seed of the cashew tree attached to the bottom of the cashew apple. The nuts have vitamin B, copper, phosphorus, zinc and iron - tons of goodies.

Contrary to popular belief, cashews are actually low in fat. They only have about 13.5 grams of fat per ounce. They are cholesterol-free, and nearly 75 percent of the fat is unsaturated (the kind that's good for your heart).

Cashews are a great source of magnesium and copper, so munch away. One ounce of cashews contains around 80 mg of magnesium and 0.6 mg of copper. Magnesium is very important for the body's nerves, muscles and bones (pretty much everything that keeps you functioning), and copper is essential for the development of healthy connective tissue.

Magnesium blocks calcium channels in nerves, keeping them less active so the muscles and blood vessels they enervate are more relaxed too. Magnesium prevents muscle tension, spasms and helps reduce blood pressure.

While the percent mass of copper in cashews is comparatively small, the recommended daily intake of copper is only 2 mg, so cashews are actually very high in copper. Copper is a fundamental component of many enzymes in the body. It is a main component of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Insufficient copper intake can cause ruptured vessels, bone brittleness and joint problems like arthritis.

So, cashews seem to be a tasty way to prevent a ton of nasty things from happening. A healthy amount of cashews a day is a quarter-cup, about one serving. But because they are still relatively high in fat and calories (especially when roasted and salted) cashews are healthiest when eaten in moderation. If you are looking to gain weight, more than one serving of cashews a day could promote healthy weight gain.

My next favorite nut is that friendly little legume, the peanut. Peanuts, like cashews (in fact, like almost all nuts), are a great source of monounsaturated fats. Studies show that diets high in monounsaturated fats that include peanuts and peanut butter can cut the risk of heart disease by 21 percent compared to the average American diet.

Peanuts are also surprisingly high in antioxidants, and a quarter cup of these nuts can contain up to 25 percent of your recommended daily value of niacin, folate and copper. It's no surprise that these crunchy nuts are so high in vitamins and minerals, but antioxidants? What?

Peanuts contain high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, particularly p-coumaric acid. Roasting peanuts raises the level of the acid and increases the overall antioxidant content by as much as 22 percent.

While peanuts are still not as high in antioxidants as some fruits, like pomegranates, peanuts are about as rich in antioxidants as blackberries and strawberries and are much higher in antioxidants than other fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots and beets. The antioxidants found in peanuts, in conjunction with the monounsaturated fats, may actually be the key to a healthy heart. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body, which have been linked to heart disease and certain cancers.

A healthy serving of peanuts is about a quarter cup. Munch them and you're munching your way to healthy blood cells, blitzed free radicals, lowered cholesterol and healthier skin.

The last nut I'm addicted to (I was tempted to write about testicles here, just for giggles) is the almond. Almonds are packed with two necessities we haven't discussed yet: manganese and vitamin E. Manganese is another cofactor for superoxide dismutase, the antioxidant that needs copper, and vitamin E is itself an important antioxidant. Vitamin E is particularly helpful, antioxidant-wise, for the skin, and works to protect the skin from damage caused by ultraviolet radiation. A quarter cup of almonds contains around 45 percent of your recommended daily value of manganese and Vitamin E, and has about 15 percent of your recommended daily value of protein. So almonds pack a punch - they also blitz away the nasty little free radicals, protect your skin from sun damage, and because they are so high in protein, they're a great snack food - they'll keep you full. And, like both peanuts and cashews, almonds are also high in monounsaturated fats and help to lower levels of bad cholesterol while raising levels of good cholesterol.

So it seems like my homemade trail mix is healthier than I thought. One cup of my mix of peanut M&Ms, almonds, Craisins and cashews and I'm actually protecting my skin, harassing my free radicals, relaxing my muscles, padding my joints and lowering my cholesterol and my blood pressure. (I eat unsalted cashews.) And getting lots of energy and protein - the perfect workout snack.

Remember, nuts are most beneficial when eaten in moderation and consumed as part of a low-fat, healthy diet. Adding chocolate, salt and oil is a healthy way to pack on calories. But chomp thoroughly. Nuts are small hard objects, and a choking hazard.