Atherosclerosis, the hardening or buildup of plaque in the arteries, is the principal cause of stroke and heart attacks. One of the critical factors in the development and progression of the condition is chronic inflammation. The severity of it also depends on the frequency of chronic inflammation. Therefore, lifestyle and dietary changes are crucial to mitigating the process.
One such dietary adaption could be as simple as eating walnuts. A new study found that adults who regularly consumed walnuts had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t. This is because the nut reduces the concentration of certain inflammatory biomarkers.
Dr. Emilio Ros, a researcher from the Universitat de Barcelona involved in the study, said:
Acute inflammation is a physiological process due to activation of the immune system by injuries such as trauma or infection and is an important defense of the body. Short-term inflammation helps us heal wounds and fight infections. Still, inflammation that persists over time (chronic), caused by factors such as poor diet, obesity, stress, and high blood pressure, is damaging instead of healing, particularly when it comes to cardiovascular health.
The Trial: WAHA (Walnuts And Healthy Aging)
- Dr. Ros and colleagues recruited 708 healthy elders (63 to 79 years of age) to participate in a randomized controlled trial to evaluate walnut effects on age-related health outcomes.
- The researchers speculated that just incorporating walnuts into a typical diet would be enough to improve inflammatory biomarkers.
- They assigned some participants to eat 30 to 60 grams of walnuts per day for two years, and the others to carry on with their standard diet without walnuts.
- The subjects who ate walnut had reduced inflammation molecule in their blood by up to 11.5%.
- Six of the ten well-known inflammatory markers were significantly reduced on the walnut diet – including interleukin-1β, a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine. (To understand the potency at play here: there is a medicine that makes interleukin-1β inactive, reducing coronary heart disease rates.)
Dr. Ros said:
Our findings suggest walnuts are one food that may lessen chronic inflammation, which could help to reduce the risk for heart disease, a condition we become more susceptible to as we age. Walnuts have an optimal mix of essential nutrients, like the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and other highly bioactive components, like polyphenols, that likely play a role in their anti-inflammatory effect and other health benefits.
Many other foods help fight inflammation, and many foods cause it. For more ideas on what you should and shouldn’t eat, click here.
