A Handful of Pistachios

[Barb73]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... terol.html

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A handful of pistachio nuts a day can help destroy bad cholesterol, ward off heart disease and prevent cancer, say scientists.

Pistachio nuts can lower cholesterol and prevent cancer say scientists Photo: GETTY

The nuts are full of antioxidants that protect cells from damage by harmful chemicals, called 'free radicals'.

The findings published in the Journal of Nutrition follows previous research by the same team that discovered pistachios help destroy bad cholesterol that can lead to heart attacks and stroke.

Professor Penny Kris-Etherton, of Pennsylvania State University, said: "Our previous study showed the benefits of pistachios in lowering lipids and lipoproteins, which are a risk factor for heart disease.

"This new study shows an additional effect of pistachios so now there are multiple health benefits of eating pistachios."

She and colleagues found pistachios are much richer in the main dietary antioxidants lutein, beta-carotene and gamma-tocopherol than other nuts.

Beta-carotene turns into vitamin A which prevents cancer and gamma-tocopherol is a common form of vitamin E that wards off heart disease. Lutein is found in dark green leafy vegetables and is important in vision and healthy skin.

It is believed antioxidants also prevent cholesterol from moving into the blood vessel walls and causing inflammation.

When the researchers tested the effects of pistachios on antioxidant levels they found participants had much more antioxidants in their blood and lower cholesterol concentrations when they ate the nuts.

In the experiment, they ate three different diets for a month - a normal cholesterol lowering diet with no nuts and two other similar food regimes with 1.5 ounces and 3 ounces of pistachios respectively.

Prof Kris-Etherton added: "Our results suggest that a heart-healthy diet including pistachios contributes to a decrease in serum oxidized-LDL levels, in part through cholesterol lowering, and also due to an added benefit of the antioxidants in the pistachios."

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(Telegraph.co.uk, Health News, May 25, 2010)

Disclaimer:

The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not being posted with the intention of being medical advice of any kind.

[jaminkw]

So good to see you Barbara. This is interesting as I happen to love Pistachio nuts but never think to buy them. I think I'll get some. It can't hurt.

Judy in KW

[Joppette]

Thanks Barbara!

Judy in MI

[Barb73]

Hello Judy and Judy,

An online friend of mine for the last fourteen years plus has begun sending me helpful nutritional tips.

It certainly cannot hurt a thing.

As for my personal health, over the last few months my weight dropped 40 lbs. That alone could have been the reason for the hypertension meds not working the way they should.

So, they have lowered the amount - and things are slowly improving, thankfully.

In the meanwhile, am taking care to eat more sensibly and I have added nuts, seeds, and fruits to my regular intake.

Barbara

[ts]

Barbara,

I am so pleased to hear that you are taking care of yourself and doing better! Take those well meaning tips with a grain of salt (oh, probably no salt added!) and we know you understand that your helpful friends have good intentions, but not always solid science.

Wishing you a healthy and beautiful spring with plenty of love,

Stephanie

[Barb73]

Hi Stephanie,

So glad to know that you realize, as do I, that well-meaning friends can go overboard with "tips."

However, this friend, who is also a therapist, has never been one to steer me wrong. He's a spreader of uplifting and good news always.

I had heard about the pistachio benefits for some time now, but was in a droop and had no urge to post.

Thankfully, the tide has changed a bit, and things are falling into place - inch by inch - ever so slowly.

One thing I do know from five years of the cancer journey - food means a lot in the process. I would venture to propose that it has much to do with health in general. I feel so much better since making sure I eat even when it's the furthest thing from my mind.

It keeps the gears oiled and running. At 75, I need all the help I can get.

Barbara

[carolhg]

Good to see you Barb and to hear that you are feeling better. Thanks for the info on the pistachios. I love to eat them.

Take care,

Carol

[Barb73]

Hi Carol,

It's good to "see" you again.

Glad you like pistachios. Recently, I've taken to snacking on sunflower seeds. There's an eerie feeling as though I've turned into a bird of sorts.

Not that I don't cheat every now and again. I definitely do.

Barbara